Enacting Change in Literacy Instruction

• In Event: Teacher Participation and Awareness: Poised for Participatory Work

Abstract

This paper describes a participatory action research project between university faculty and the administration and teachers at a K - 1 school. We sought to provide a thorough description of how one elementary principal led her staff to identify and select a new approach to phonics instruction based on student needs. The first author participated as part of the school’s Phonics Exploration Team and collaborated with the principal and teachers throughout the process. Field notes from team meetings, semi-structured interviews, and school artifacts were collected to describe the moves the principal made to lead the school to a change in phonics instruction. Kotter’s (2022) model for change provided a framework through which to understand the process of change.

Authors

• Tracy Johnson, University of Indianapolis

• Elizabeth A. Turner, University of Indianapolis

• Katrina M. Reinhardt, University of Indianapolis

• Sarah Wareham, University of Indianapolis

• Erin Probus, University of Indianapolis