THE FIRST YEAR WITH THE LITERATURE‐BASED BASALS: EXAMINING TEACHERS’ THEORETICAL ORIENTATIONS AND THE UTILIZATION OF THE TEXTS IN ONE RURAL SCHOOL

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers of differing philosophical orientations toward reading react to the implementation of a literature‐based basal series. The respondents were teachers (N=12) in one rural elementary school in the Mid‐South. Data were gathered through completion of the Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile (DeFord, 1985) and four interviews with each teacher during the first year of teaching with the new basal series. Findings revealed that a relationship between a teacher's theoretical orientation toward reading and the implementation of a new basal series was evident. Even though the new basals appear to be significantly different from the older readers (Hoffman et al, 1994; McCarthey 1994) real benefits will only be gained through greater teacher guidance.