Examining Educators' Perceptions About Teaching Students Identified with Reading Disabilities

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dc.contributor.advisorLock, Jennifer
dc.contributor.authorFunke Robinson, Kirstin
dc.contributor.committeememberBrown, Barbara
dc.contributor.committeememberChu, Man-Wai
dc.contributor.committeememberFriesen, Sharon
dc.contributor.committeememberSpecht, Jacqueline
dc.date2022-11
dc.date.accessioned2022-07-26T18:08:50Z
dc.date.available2022-07-26T18:08:50Z
dc.date.issued2022-07-22
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this study was to explore the influence of secondary sociocultural artifacts on educators’ perceptions about teaching students identified with reading disabilities (RD). This investigation offered an alternative to traditional special education research by considering sociocultural influences, rather than emphasizing innate characteristics within students. A definitive conceptual model that explained how secondary sociocultural artifacts shape educators’ perceptions of teaching students identified with RD was not found in a review of related literature. Therefore, a specific examination of these perceptions of educators as situated within the unique context within which they were employed was sought. Using a descriptive case study design, a detailed account of the themes within sociocultural artifacts and the perceptions of educators across various roles were gathered within one school district. Since RD tends to be identified in late elementary grades, educators with responsibilities for grades 4-7 were included. Data were gathered across three phases using the methods of document analysis, questionnaires, and interviews. Twelve participants completed the questionnaires and six participants completed interviews. Four major findings were identified from this study. First, the contents of the secondary sociocultural artifacts salient to this school district aligned with either a special or an inclusive education model. Second, classroom teachers’ perspectives on reading disabilities aligned with a fixed deficit model overall, rationalized by their personal experiences with artifacts of special education. Third, classroom teachers’ beliefs about their own self-efficacy to teach students identified with RD varied, based on different aspects emphasized in their reflections on teaching students identified with RD. Fourth, those artifacts aligned with special education were perceived as inhibiting classroom teaching of students identified with RD. The findings from this study contributed to a conceptual framework for how secondary sociocultural artifacts shape educators’ perceptions. Given the important influence of educators’ perceptions on their actual practices, this study was critical to understand how to stimulate actions aimed at improving teaching practices for students identified with RD.en_US
dc.identifier.citationFunk Robinson, K. (2022). Examining Educators’ Perceptions About Teaching Students Identified with Reading Disabilities (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/114881
dc.identifier.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39940
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultyWerklund School of Educationen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectsociocultural theoryen_US
dc.subjectsecondary sociocultural artifactsen_US
dc.subjectreading disabilitiesen_US
dc.subjectspecial educationen_US
dc.subjectinclusive educationen_US
dc.subjectperspectives on disabilitiesen_US
dc.subjectteacher self-efficacyen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Curriculum and Instructionen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Elementaryen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Readingen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Sociology ofen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Specialen_US
dc.titleExamining Educators' Perceptions About Teaching Students Identified with Reading Disabilitiesen_US
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation Graduate Program – Educational Researchen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education (EdD)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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