Title page for ETD etd-12072006-102950
( Browse | Search ) All Available ETDs
Type of Document Dissertation
Author Ankrum, Julie Winneur
Author's Email Address jwankrum@hotmail.com
URN etd-12072006-102950
Title Differentiated Reading Instruction in One Exemplary Teacher's Classroom: A Case Study
Degree Doctor of Philosophy
Program Instruction and Learning
School School of Education
Advisory Committee
Advisor Name Title
Rita M. Bean Committee Chair
Jana Iverson Committee Member
Linda Kucan Committee Member
Naomi Zigmond Committee Member
Rebecca Hamilton Committee Member
Keywords
  • exemplary teacher
  • differentiated instruction
  • reading instruction
  • small group instruction
  • best practices
Date of Defense 2006-11-15
Availability unrestricted
Abstract
A single case study design was employed to describe the nature of one exemplary second grade teacher’s differentiated reading instruction. The teacher participant was selected from a group of exemplary teachers nominated from one rural school district in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Data collection consisted of classroom observations, teacher interviews, and classroom artifacts. An analysis of the data revealed that the participating teacher differentiated the following aspects of small group reading instruction: materials, time spent in small group meetings, lesson structure and focus, teacher talk, and post-reading assignments. Ongoing assessments were used as the basis for decision-making about how to differentiate each lesson.

A microanalysis of teacher talk was conducted to provide insight regarding the nature of verbal scaffolding in the classroom. Teacher-student interactions were analyzed and coded at the level of utterance. The following categories were used to define the different types of talk used by the teacher to promote the independent use of strategies in reading: direct explanation, explicit modeling, invitations to participate, clarification, verification, and telling. This analysis revealed that the needs of the children created changes in the way the teacher interacted with group members.

Files
  Filename       Size       Approximate Download Time (Hours:Minutes:Seconds) 
 
 28.8 Modem   56K Modem   ISDN (64 Kb)   ISDN (128 Kb)   Higher-speed Access 
  Ankrumjw_2006.pdf 3.35 Mb 00:15:29 00:07:57 00:06:58 00:03:29 00:00:17
If you have questions or comments please send mail to ETD-Feedback.