The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how reading teachers in southern urban schools described their use of prior knowledge and text clues in instructing high functioning ASD students in their use of inferencing to improve their reading comprehension. There were three research questions used in this study: RQ1: How do…

Researchers have demonstrated a much-needed shift in pedagogical practices to incorporate literacy strategies. This dissertation provides additional empirical evidence to expand the body of research by utilizing a comparative readability analysis that examines the academic language of a popular calculus textbook. A sample from the published…

Early literacy skills such as print knowledge are essential building blocks for children's later reading and academic outcomes. Shared book reading activities in early childhood classrooms offer rich opportunities through which educators can support children's print knowledge development by explicitly referring to a book's print. Such references…

As the United States continues to grow with English language learners entering schools, teachers must focus on helping them improve their reading comprehension. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of vocabulary instruction implemented by teachers impedes the development of English language learners' reading comprehension. The purpose…

This study examined the challenges teachers faced in teaching reading comprehension to secondary students within the study school. Reading comprehension is a key skill for academic success, yet many students struggle to understand complex texts in subjects such as history, science, and mathematics. The purpose of this research is to assess how…

For students to be successful in future mathematics classes, mathematics teachers must be able to help students decipher content in Algebra I, the foundation of higher mathematics. Research on vocabulary in the math classroom shows there are multiple ways to represent vocabulary and reading comprehension. The research question, which focused on…

The link between vocabulary knowledge acquisition and its effect on reading comprehension has been well established over years of research; however, students from low income backgrounds may have less access to the opportunities that allow for the building of this vocabulary knowledge prior to and including entry into formal schooling. Therefore,…

The purpose of this multiple-case study with a cross-case analysis was to determine how seven third-grade teachers conceptualized comprehension and its instruction and how those knowledge and beliefs about comprehension instruction were leveraged while planning lessons. Teachers were asked to design two comprehension lesson plans and answer…

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Repeated Readings intervention at improving reading fluency and reading comprehension. However, research on the effectiveness of fluency interventions focuses on young children, with limited research on the effects on college-age populations. The primary purpose of the current study was…

This systematic review aims to research, analyze, and synthesize peer-reviewed studies using guided reading or small group reading instruction as an intervention with K-12 students within the last ten years. Guided reading is a differentiated reading approach tailored to a reader's needs and is structured in small groups. The three reading skills…

Success in social studies is imperative, as civic literacy skills are used by students to become critical consumers of information and support making informed decisions. The problem is that teachers are making instructional shifts to support literacy performance and provide instruction for struggling readers in third and fourth grade to read,…

This study investigated the intersection of literacy instruction and high school science teaching in response to low proficiency levels in these areas and interest in pursuing STEM careers among U.S. high school students. Participants reported using close reading practices combined with inquiry-based science instruction to enhance students'…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the use of specific vocabulary instructional strategies during a six-week summer program to determine if the iReady universal screener measured an impact on student vocabulary and reading comprehension. The study utilized a treatment group (n = 34) and a control group (n = 40) from…

Up until third grade, reading instruction is focused on learning to read, while in fourth grade and up, students begin reading to learn (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2024; Grunke et al., 2013). This reading with purpose includes increasing critical thinking skills and using newfound reading skills to understand complex subjects such as math and…

Kindergarten teachers must balance the competing interests of meeting grade level standards, including teaching students to be literate, and integrating developmentally appropriate practices. Students need to have opportunities to read, write, listen, and speak; however, a didactic, teacher-centered approach is not in the best interest of young…