Novice Georgia Middle School Teachers’ Preparation to Teach Reading: An Instrumental Case Study
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2023
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Abstract
Middle school teachers may not be adequately prepared to teach struggling readers. Reading assessments in Georgia demonstrate that fewer than half of middle school students read on grade level. Research exists regarding elementary teachers’ preparedness to teach reading and the impact of utilizing the science of reading, while a gap in research exists at the middle school level. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of novice Georgia middle school English language arts and reading teachers’ perceptions about their preparedness to teach struggling readers based on the science of reading. The Simple View of Reading and the National Reading Panel’s five areas of reading instruction provided the framework for this study. The research questions addressed novice middle school English language arts and reading teachers’ experiences in preservice middle grades certification programs in Georgia, including what universities currently implement or could improve to support teaching struggling readers. The instrumental case study utilized interviews and reflective field notes to collect data from 10 purposively selected participants from the target population of novice Georgia middle school reading or English language arts teachers who graduated from Georgia middle grades certification programs. Methodology course syllabi were collected from Georgia middle grades programs. Data from interviews, reflective field notes, and course syllabi were coded, member checked, and analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. Data analysis revealed four main themes. Findings might benefit middle grades professors and policymakers developing guidelines and courses for middle grades preservice reading and English language arts teachers.
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