Developing the Literacy Instruction Knowledge Scale (LIKS) for Measuring Teacher Knowledge of Reading and Writing Instruction in Grades 1-3

Presenters:
D. Ray Reutzel, Utah State University
Janice A. Dole, University of Utah

Abstract: In this poster session, we will report on the development of the Literacy Instruction Knowledge Scale (LIKS), an instrument intended to assess what teachers need to know about effective, evidence-based reading/writing instruction. In the initial phases of developing the LIKS data will be coded and organized into a taxonomy through four distinct, but interlocking steps intended to triangulate data sources: 1) a systematic literature review of major reading and writing research journals and research handbooks, 2) classroom observations of randomly selected primary grade teachers to ascertain if the literature research review data in the taxonomy failed to uncover some element(s) of primary grade teacher knowledge about reading and writing instruction evidenced in classroom settings, 3) teacher focus groups to member check the contents of the taxonomy drawn from both the literature review and the classroom observations, 4) an audit trail review of the data to verify coding and categorization, and 5) a review of the taxonomy by an expert panel of 4 university level reading/writing experts and 2 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification teachers.

The reading and writing teacher knowledge taxonomy will be narrowed for use by the LIKS development team in connection with modern test development theory to determine the format, content, sub-scales, and items to be included in the prototype of the LIKS. We envision two subscales that will include both an objective test and a classroom observation rating scale of primary grade teacher's knowledge about effective, evidence-based reading and writing instruction.