Teaching Reading: A Case Study Through Mixed Methods.

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Literacy Studies

Background:

• Understanding the connection between teachers' perspectives and classroom actions is crucial for effective reading instruction.
• Early literacy development relies heavily on how educators perceive and teach reading acquisition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the interplay between teachers' beliefs about reading acquisition, their pedagogical practices, and their discourse.
• To identify consistencies and discrepancies in how teachers approach reading instruction across different theoretical frameworks.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an attribution questionnaire to assess teachers' beliefs regarding reading acquisition.
• Employed an observation tool to document actual teaching practices in early literacy.
• Adapted an existing instrument to capture teachers' perspectives on reading instruction methods.
• Applied mixed-methods analysis, triangulating data from questionnaires, observations, and opinion assessments.

Main Results:

• Found that the relationship between teachers' beliefs, practices, and discourse is not always consistent.
• Observed that while teachers often hold a predominant attributional profile for reading acquisition, their beliefs are influenced by multiple learning theories.
• Noted that teachers' classroom practices and expressed opinions on reading align with diverse learning theories, indicating eclectic approaches.

Conclusions:

• Teachers exhibit eclectic approaches, integrating various learning theories into their beliefs, practices, and discourse on reading acquisition.
• The study highlights the complex and multifaceted nature of teachers' professional understanding and application of reading instruction principles.