Date of Award
Spring 5-13-2022
Document Type
Dissertation (799 registration)
Degree Name
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
Department
Graduate Studies
Committee Chair
Dr. Andrew Burklund
Keywords
Think-Aloud Reading Strategy, Literacy Integration, Science, Disciplinary Literacy
Abstract
The ability to read is the most important skill in a person’s life. Learning to read is emphasized in elementary school with the belief that mastering this skill early will result in the ability to read most texts in secondary school. As a student matriculates through school, secondary teachers are focused on teaching their content while integrating literacy skills when necessary or maybe not ever. This research focuses on science teachers and their attitudes about literacy integration, specifically using the think-aloud reading strategy to teach disciplinary literacy. It builds upon the work of Shanahan and Shanahan (2008, 2010, 2011), Ness (2009/2016), McCoss-Yergian and Krepps (2010), Moje (1992, 2008, 2008), and Rainey, Maher, and Moje (2020). The researcher conducted a case study involving two science teachers in a rural Minnesota school from October to November 2021. During the two-month investigation, the researcher interviewed the teachers about their attitudes and perceptions about literacy integration. After the initial interview, the researcher observed the participating teachers multiple times including observing the teachers attempting to utilize the think-aloud reading strategy in their classrooms. After observations, the researcher interviewed the teachers again to discover if their attitudes around literacy and the think-aloud reading strategy had changed. Following the analysis protocols from qualitative experts, the researcher memoed all data and created codes. From those codes, the researcher produced three main concluding statements: science is experience; to read like a scientist, one must think like a scientist; and experiences influence literacy integration. These conclusions revealed why these science teachers hesitated to integrate literacy and the various challenges they had when including literacy strategies.
This research seemed to affirm the researcher’s research question and could have implications for teacher professional development and teacher preparation courses. Research should also continue to explore how to integrate the think-aloud reading method in non-traditional ways in various content classroomsThis research seemed to affirm the researcher’s research question and could have implications for teacher professional development and teacher preparation courses. Research should also continue to explore how to integrate the think-aloud reading method in non-traditional ways in various content classrooms.
Recommended Citation
Mueller, Patricia, "SCIENCE TEACHER ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF DISCIPLINARY LITERACY AND THINK-ALOUD EFFECTIVENESS – A CASE STUDY" (2022). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 683.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/683
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Secondary Education Commons