Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

326

Date

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Instr and Curr Leadership

Concentration

Instruction and Curriculum

Committee Chair

Jerrie L. C. Scott

Committee Member

Vivian G. Morris

Committee Member

E. Sutton Flynt

Committee Member

Louis A. Franceschini

Abstract

Over the last two decades, interests in the cyclical nature of reading failure have increased, resulting in programs designed to address the needs of adolescent students. Among many programs for older struggling readers, READ180 is a program widely used in urban schools that addresses the needs of older struggling students. The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, teacher and administrator practices used in the READ 180 program best support the literacy learning of older struggling readers in an urban school district that is populated predominantly by African American students.Four research questions guided this study: (1) what are the relationships between selected demographic characteristics of READ 180 teachers and their students' approximate grade-level gain in reading? (2) What is the relationship between selected teachers' reported use of instructional practices and their students' approximate grade-level gain in reading? (3) What is the relationship between teachers' perceptions of READ180's potential for students' literacy learning and their students' approximate grade-level gain in reading? And (4) What is the relationship between teachers' perceptions of administrative support and their students approximate grade-level gain in reading?The analysis of the data yielded four major findings. There was a statistically significant difference in the age and years of teaching experience in READ 180 of those teachers whose students scored at or above the district norms and those who scored below district norms. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups of teachers in their reported classroom practices, perceptions of the READ 180 programs' potential for improving students' literacy learning, or perceptions of administrative support.However, from the open-ended responses, two classroom practices were identified as most useful, small-group instruction and computer-assisted instruction, while independent reading and whole-group instruction were identified as least useful. The two strategies that were identified by teachers as most helpful and most needed for administrative staff were access to supplies as most helpful and scheduling and monitoring of students as most needed. The findings of the study led to implications for practicing teachers, administrators, and researchers.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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