A multiple case study of Chapter 1 reading teachers in professional transition

The experiences of eight Chapter 1 reading teachers were examined in this study as they engaged in a year-long collaborative effort to study and practice an instructional method designed to accelerate the literacy achievement of their first grade students. Participants volunteered to enroll in a two-semester graduate seminar designed and facilitated by the researcher. The research focused on teachers\u27 changing practices, beliefs, and self-efficacy related to literacy instruction. A qualitative case study research design with two quantitative components was selected to investigate the process of professional transitions within a specific educational context. Through a cross-case analysis of the qualitative data, categories related to the process of professional change emerged and were cross checked with the responses on the quantitative scales. The results supported the following six conclusions: (1) Teachers are more likely to implement changes in their instructional practice if they have a strong personal and professional motivation to change. (2) Instructional changes are more likely to be rehearsed and sustained if teachers readily perceive improved achievement in their students. (3) Changing beliefs about literacy instruction is a continual process of refining and revising existing beliefs as new learning occurs and as such changes are perceived to positively influence student achievement over time. (4) Teacher efficacy is challenged, but can be sustained through a professional transition process. (5) The adoption of an educational innovation that requires instructional practice changes is a complex process that requires adequate time for the development of professional support systems that incorporate expert coaching, supportive feedback, and collegial sharing. (6) Significant professional change is an emerging multidimensional process that evolves and regenerates over time