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Topic

A Case Study of Teachers’ Beliefs in Supporting Grade Four English Language Learners’ Reading Proficiency

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Date & location

• Tuesday, November 5, 2024

• 10:00 A.M.

• Virtual Defence

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Tim Anderson, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Victoria (Supervisor)

• Dr. Ruthanne Tobin, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, UVic (Member)

• Dr. Gina Harrison, Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, UVic (Outside Member)

External Examiner

• Dr. Zheng Zhang, Curriculum Studies and Studies in Applied Linguistics, Western University 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Jordan Stranger-Ross, Department of History, UVic

   

Abstract

The rising population of immigrants in Canada has increased the diversity of students enrolled in schools at all levels, and teachers have a critical role in guiding and supporting the language and literacy development of students. This dissertation used a qualitative case study methodology to investigate how the instructional practices of three teachers in public elementary schools in Victoria, British Columbia support grade four English language learners’ (ELLs) reading proficiency. The collected data includes interviews, classroom observations, and teachers’ journal responses. Findings from the three data collection methods were triangulated and show that the teachers’ personal histories influenced the development of their beliefs and, specifically, their beliefs about teaching reading. Their professional knowledge also played a significant role in their instructional practice because their teacher education programs did not sufficiently prepare them for the reality of teaching reading. Generally, a relationship was seen between the teachers’ beliefs and their instructional practices in designing a classroom that supports ELLs’ language and literacy development. The findings suggest that teachers should provide every opportunity for ELLs to connect with their language and cultural backgrounds to further support their reading proficiency. The teachers also believed that their students should become familiar with reading by exposing them to reading components such as phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary knowledge and comprehension, and using the students’ prior knowledge in their language and cultural backgrounds to facilitate their comprehension of text they encounter. 

Key words: Reading, Teachers’ Belief, Instructional Practice, English Language Learner (ELL)