Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Literacy Instruction and Curriculum (Stage 2, 3:59 PM)

• In Event: e-Lightning Ed-Talk Session 5 - Stage 2

Abstract

This study investigates how teachers and school personnel in a rural K-2 public lab school conceptualize language and literacy priorities across a school year marked by curricular change. Drawing from focus groups and interviews with participants, we analyzed shifting perspectives on decoding, comprehension, and writing. Thematic coding revealed a strong initial emphasis on decoding. As the year progressed, and the school adopted an additional curriculum, Wit & Wisdom, educators began to grapple with the complexities of comprehension instruction, writing assessments, and alignment across curricula. Our findings highlight the need for professional learning that builds teachers’ capacity for comprehension alongside decoding instruction, while also addressing persistent misconceptions around the “learning to read” versus “reading to learn” dichotomy.

Authors

• Yuzi Gao, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Courtney Hattan, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill