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What do upper-elementary and middle school teachers know about the processes of text comprehension?

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Abstract

Teachers’ knowledge of reading comprehension processes is underresearched relative to teachers’ knowledge of word identification and phonological awareness. In this study, sixty-two pre- and inservice upper-elementary and middle school English language arts, science, and social studies teachers completed in-depth interview protocols eliciting multiple aspects of knowledge about reading comprehension processes. Using qualitative analyses, we found that teachers in the sample demonstrated knowledge in four consistent areas: strategizing, grappling to achieve coherence, leveraging and producing knowledge, and participating socially. We propose these concepts as a starting point for characterizing teachers’ knowledge of how comprehension processes work when they are well developed. We discuss implications of these findings for future research and practice in literacy teacher education.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by a grant from the Spencer Foundation, #201400125

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA

    Dennis S. Davis & Robyn DeIaco

  2. Florida State University, 1114 West Call St., Suite G107, Room G117, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

    F. Blake Tenore

  3. Portland State University, Portland, USA

    Dot McElhone

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  1. Dennis S. Davis
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Correspondence to F. Blake Tenore.

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Davis, D.S., Tenore, F.B., McElhone, D. et al. What do upper-elementary and middle school teachers know about the processes of text comprehension?. Read Writ 35, 2257–2283 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-022-10268-4

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