The Effects of Classroom Focused Improvement Process on Building Teacher Capacity for Diagnostic Decision-Making and Student Reading Achievement

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2009-12

Department

Program

Masters of Education

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if a yearlong collaborative process, the Classroom Focused Improvement Process, would have a positive effect on elementary teachers’ attitudes and abilities to diagnose and remediate student needs in reading instruction and reading achievement for students in grades 3, 4 and 5 on the Maryland State Assessment. This study was both descriptive and quasi-experimental. Descriptive data was collected through a teacher survey, and the quasi-experimental data was determined by comparing student reading scores on the Maryland State Assessment for two consecutive years. Achievement gains were not significant, but teachers’ attitudes and capacity to diagnose student needs showed marked improvement. Research in the area of diagnostic reading instruction and the use of formative assessments should continue in order to assist those responsible for building teacher capacity in reading instruction and to determine its effect on student achievement over time.