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East Tennessee State University

An Investigation of Reading Instruction in Northeast Tennessee.

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine specific prekindergarten- through 8th-grade reading programs, instructional best practices, academic interventions, and educational activities that are perceived as successful practices in four high achieving schools within the parameters of Northeast Tennessee. This study was accomplished through a protocol of open-ended interviews with 15 participants comprised of 4 school principals, 4 primary reading teachers, 4 intermediate reading teachers, 2 Title I reading specialists, and 1 district language arts coordinator. Additionally, school-specific documentation and basal reading programs were reviewed to triangulate the findings of this investigation.</p><p>The findings from this study suggested that the educational perceptions among Title I and nonTitle I participants as well as the perceptions among school principals, reading teachers, and reading specialists were parallel. In general the participants' perceptions held in common were associated with frequent opportunities for classroom reading practice; the incorporation of self-selected literature; the appropriation of differentiated instruction; a blending of reading, writing, and grammar; strategic progress monitoring through formative assessment checkpoints; and the implications of summative assessment data.</p><p>Major recommendations from this study included the consideration of providing students with frequent and consistent classroom reading time; opportunities for frequent nonfiction reading assignments; the provision of self-selected literature; the appropriation of a blended approach to reading, writing, and grammar; and the implementation of differentiated instruction within the prekindergarten- through 8th-grade reading classroom.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
EdD (Doctor of Education)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation - unrestricted
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Educational Leadership
Year dc:date.issued
2011

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Reach, Karen Pierson

Subjects

dc:subject × 10

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • Copyright by the authors.

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Repository record dc:identifier
https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1377
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-2568

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
East Tennessee State University
Base URL
dc.etsu.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Reach, Karen Pierson. An Investigation of Reading Instruction in Northeast Tennessee.. Dissertation - unrestricted thesis, 2011. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1377