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Structuring literacy instruction: A study of the effects of IBM's Writing to Read Program on teacher attitudes and behaviors
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a mandated and highly structured program for early literacy development, IBM's Writing to Read Program, could bring about desired changes in teacher attitudes towards and behaviors in literacy instruction. The study responds to the need for change in our attitudes towards language development and in the way we teach young children to read and write. An analysis of the Writing to Read Program explored its philosophy and pedagogical methods, demonstrating that it was an essentially sound program, eclectic in its approach, based in proven practice and research, and extensively field-tested. A review of the literature presented an historical perspective of reading instruction in the United States, current research findings in the specific area of emerging literacy, and an analysis of the degree to which the theoretical and pedagogical bases of Writing to Read are consistent with that research. The study focused on the effects on teachers of Writing to Read staff development and program implementation within a single school system. A survey questionnaire, interviews and school records were the sources of data collection. The survey questionnaires and interviews were utilized to assess teacher opinion of the Writing to Read Program and the degree of change in teacher attitudes towards literacy learning and behaviors in literacy instruction which could be ascribed to experience with the program. Additionally the study sought to assess the effects of background factors such as teacher longevity, professional experiences, teaching assignment and previous literacy training in teacher attitudes and behaviors. The Chi-Square Test of Statistical Significance was applied to eighty-four variables which assessed teacher opinions, attitudes and behaviors. The study confirmed the effectiveness of the Writing to Read Program in producing changes in teacher attitudes and behaviors in literacy instruction. The major findings focus on the program's effects in changing attitudes and behaviors towards the role of writing in literacy instruction. The study's findings on the program's effects on attitudes and behaviors towards reading instruction were inconclusive. The significant contribution of this study is to document the effects of the Writing to Read Program on teachers.
Subject Area
Curriculum development
Recommended Citation
Stavros, Annette M, "Structuring literacy instruction: A study of the effects of IBM's Writing to Read Program on teacher attitudes and behaviors" (1993). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9316718.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9316718