Integrating evidence-based reading practices into middle-school content instruction: exploring a facet of sustainability

ABSTRACT

Reading comprehension models are being implemented in content-area settings to boost reading achievement. Yet, little research explores how such models are incorporated into teachers’ daily instructional practice. The authors used extended observations and interviews to examine the integration of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR), an evidence-based reading comprehension model, into the instructional practices of 15 middle school science, social studies, and language arts teachers. Findings indicated that high-integration teachers embedded CSR lessons into their curriculum and reinforced CSR strategy use throughout the week. These teachers also felt supported in their efforts by colleagues and school administrators. There is much to be learned from the ways in which teachers engage in the art of integrating new methods into their teaching.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher professional development
• sustainability of evidence-based practices
• academic literacy
• reading comprehension

Acknowledgments

We dedicate this article to the memory of our esteemed colleague, mentor, friend, fellow author, and one of the key developers of Collaborative Strategic Reading, Dr. Janette Klingner, who passed away in the spring of 2014.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by grant U396B100143, from Investing in Innovation, U.S. Department of Education. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Education.

Notes on contributors

Brooke A. Moore

Brooke A. Moore, PhD, is Interim Chair and Assistant Professor in the Advanced Education Programs department in the College of Education at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, USA. Formerly, she was a special educator working primarily with students with learning disabilities, and her research focuses on helping educators create equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students. Dr Moore is currently the principal investigator on a research study exploring the development and effectiveness of online learning modules for teacher professional development.

Alison G. Boardman

Alison G. Boardman, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity program area in the School of Education at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She works closely with educators to study and innovate reading instruction across content areas in classrooms that include emergent bilingual learners and student with disabilities. She is especially interested in finding ways to provide meaningful professional learning experiences for teachers. Currently, Dr Boardman is a principal investigator on a design-based research study to infuse project-based learning into ninth-grade language arts.

Cristin Jensen Lasser

Cristin Jensen Lasser, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) at Regis University. She teaches courses in linguistics, multicultural education, research, assessment, literacy, instructional strategies, and foundations for CLDE. Prior to working in higher education, Dr Jensen Lasser taught in schools (Pre-K–12) both internationally and nationally for seven years as a lead teacher, bilingual aide, and substitute, and was an instructional coach for five years on the CSR-CO Project. Her research interests include instructional practices for CLD students and professional development opportunities for teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Kimberly M. Schmidt

Kimberly M. Schmidt, PhD, is Clinical Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Sciences at the University of Denver. She currently leads the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) endorsement in the Teacher Education Program and teaches courses focused on literacy and CLD learners in curriculum and instruction. Her research continues to look at the multimodal and digital literacy practices of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Recently, her research focuses on preservice teachers and the nexus of literacy, culturally relevant pedagogy, and technology.

Clara E. Smith

Clara E. Smith, PhD, is STEM Department Change Consultant at the University of Colorado-Boulder for the Departmental Action Team Project. This departmentally based working group aims to sustainably improve undergraduate education across departments. She received her PhD from the University of Colorado-Boulder in Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity, a program focused on the field of bilingual multicultural education, with an emphasis on social justice issues in education. Her dissertation topic and research interests include the underrepresentation of bilingual students in gifted education.

Vanessa S. Schwarz

Vanessa S. Schwarz, PhD, is Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Department of Educational Equity and Cultural Diversity at the University of Colorado-Boulder. She has a background in bilingual special education and in her current role, she is researching the impact of a systemic functional linguistics approach to teaching writing in bilingual classrooms.