People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Select Publications:
Journal articles
Brady, S., Gillis, M., Smith, T., Lavalette, M., Liss-Bronstein, L., Lowe, E., North, W., Russo, E., and Wilder, T.D. (2009). First Grade Teachers' Knowledge of Phonological Awareness and Code Concepts: Examining Gains From an Intensive Form of Professional Development. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 22(4): 425-455.
** This project was submitted to and funded under Teacher Quality: Reading and Writing in FY 2003.
Supplemental information
The research team is focusing on five research-based elements of reading development:
- phonological awareness
- the alphabetic principle and code
- fluent and automatic word-recognition
- vocabulary
- comprehension
In phase 1 of the project, the researchers are developing measures of teacher knowledge and practice related to these five elements. Over the next 2 phases, the researchers are providing professional development on teaching those elements to 80 to 120 first grade teachers in schools serving children from low-income backgrounds. The research team is comparing the efficacy and relative value of the professional development program to standard practice. Researchers are randomly assigning schools to experimental and control groups.
During phase 2, the experimental group is receiving the professional development program including mentors assigned to individual teachers. The control group of teachers and their students are being assessed for knowledge, skills, and practices but are not being provided any professional development that is different than what they would normally get. In phase 3, the control group is receiving the same professional development received by the experimental group during phase 2 but without the individual mentor support.
The experimental group is continuing to receive the professional development program with mentoring for the second phase. All teachers attending professional development workshops are receiving materials on research-based methods of reading instruction that they can apply in their classrooms. In phase 4, the researchers are
- evaluating whether the professional development program changed teacher knowledge
- testing whether changes in teacher knowledge affect changes in teacher practices, in turn influencing student reading achievement
- describing what happens during professional development training
- examining the difference that having support by mentors makes to the professional development program
- evaluating the relative contribution of a 1- vs. a 2-year professional development program
Questions about this project?
To answer additional questions about this project or provide feedback, please contact the program officer.
