Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Leffler, Jeffrey

Committee Member

Hanna, Tania , ,Mark Fincher,

Committee Member

Milam, Alisha

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Education (Educational Policy & Organizational Design)

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

College of Education

Abstract

Assessment data continues to show middle and high school students struggling with literacy. As literacy is intricate to every course at the secondary level, students who struggle with reading and writing struggle across the curriculum. While this glaring issue persists, many teachers take few courses to train them to implement the instructional strategies needed to help students overcome deficits and succeed in the disciplinary coursework of secondary school. The goals of the project were to decide which content should be included in a required program of study for secondary education pre-service teachers to increase capacity and improve classroom readiness and identify influencing factors in instructional adjustments and literacy coursework that contribute to secondary preservice /in-service teacher success. Research studies show explicit instruction instruction in vocabulary, comprehension, and writing across the curriculum have a positive effect on student achievement in literacy. Research also showed that pre-service teachers trained in literacy instructional strategies and engaged in quality field experience are more prepared to instruct students successfully. Based on research, an updated secondary education program of study was created to strengthen literacy instructional capacity through targeted coursework and teacher residency. The current degree program was audited to find solutions. Courses strong training pre-service teachers in comprehension, vocabulary, and writing instruction were added to the program of study. The updated coursework was set in a progression to improve alignment of instructional strategies taught within the program. The program’s field experience component was expanded from a semester of required internship to a full academic year of teacher residency through a new teacher residency program. Updated syllabi, programs of study, course progression, and the teacher residency program were converted into the required documentation to request for a new degree program through Mississippi State University.

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