Award Date
12-2010
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
First Committee Member
Cyndi Giorgis, Chair
Second Committee Member
Thomas W. Bean
Third Committee Member
Frank W. Serafini
Graduate Faculty Representative
Lori Olafson
Number of Pages
218
Abstract
The purpose of this multi-case study was to investigate the instructional roles teachers utilize in whole group and small group discussion. This study highlights the questioning and response strategies two elementary teachers used during read alouds and literature discussions. Data sources included whole group and small group discussions, interviews, teachers' reflection journals, classroom observations, researcher field notes, and Informal correspondence. Data were analyzed using Merriam's (1998) analytic framework for case study. A within-case analysis was conducted for each case, followed by a cross-case analysis. Through with-in case analysis questioning and response categories were developed. These categories included: appealing, prompting, examination, labeling, seeking agreement, critical junctures, expanding, and release. Additionally, a cross-case analysis resulted in the identification of two themes across both cases, which were teacher as solicitor and teacher as facilitator. The findings indicate that the teachers' instructional approaches, teacher as solicitor and teacher as facilitator, were impacted by university collaboration, teachers' reflective practice, administrative pressures, tension with high-stakes testing, and curricular demands. A key implication of this study is the need for instructional planning time that allows for time for teachers to collaborate and share ideas about the benefits of including literature discussion in their reading programs.
Keywords
Book selection; Children's literature; Group reading; Literature discussions; Picture books for children; Oral reading; Read alouds; Teacher's instructional role
Disciplines
Curriculum and Instruction | Elementary Education and Teaching | Reading and Language
File Format
Degree Grantor
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Language
English
Repository Citation
Ladd, Sophie M., "“You can pick really good literature that will lead them there”: Investigating the instructional roles teachers utilize when conducting literature discussions" (2010). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 777.
http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/2044491
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Elementary Education and Teaching Commons, Reading and Language Commons