Secondary literacy teachers have differing views on independent reading in the classroom. While they generally define independent reading as student-selected reading done independently, some teachers see it as an activity best done outside of class time. Teachers also report mixed results, with some students genuinely engaging in independent reading while others try to fake participation. Overall, the study found teachers would benefit from more support and training around implementing independent reading strategies effectively.

1. THE ROLE OF
STUDENTS:
HOW SECONDARY
LITERACY TEACHERS
VIEW INDEPENDENT
READING
Matthew
Ulyesses
Blankenship,
M.Ed.
University of
South Florida

2. IMPETUS FOR RESEARCH
 Personal connection: Reading teacher for five years
focused on struggling adolescent reading.
 Previous research: The National Reading Panel derailed
research on independent reading for many years
because of its exclusion based on research
methodology expectations.
 Current Practice: As an administrator, students reject
reading because of the increased focus on
standardized testing.

3. OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
 Survey Secondary Teachers
about Independent Reading
 What do they know?
 Where did they learn the construct
of independent reading?
 How do they implement
independent reading (if they do)?
 What considerations do they have
when implementing independent
reading?
 What results do they find in the
classroom from independent
reading?

4. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE
 Situated Learning / Constructivist view (Lave, 1991;
Lave, 1998; and Wenger, 1998)
 Learning occurs through interaction with others and the
environment.
 Teachers and students build a community of practice where
learning occurs between and among members of the
community
 Learning is social and discussion should be encouraged.

5. RELEVANT LITERATURE
 Independent reading is the self or scaffold selection of
reading materials both in and out of the classroom that
students read on their own(Morgan & Wagner, 2013 )
 Independent reading is declining in the secondary
classroom (Lapp & Fisher, 2009)
 Students desire more time and choice of materials
within the classroom for independent reading (Ivey &
Broaddus, 2000; Zipper, Sisson & Said, 2002; Trudel, 2002;
Kasten & Wilfong, 2005).
 Students call for a social aspect tied to independent
reading similar to book clubs (Ivey & Broaddus, 2000;
Zipper, Sisson & Said, 2002; Trudel, 2002; Kasten &
Wilfong, 2005).

6. RESEARCH METHODS
 Phenomenological Approach as
teachers implement (or do not
implement) the shared phenomenon
of independent reading (Creswell,
2013).
 Guiding Question : “In what ways do
high school reading and English
teachers incorporate (or not
incorporate) independent reading in
the classroom?”
 Each teacher was interviewed based
on his or her experiences in the
classroom.
 Semi structured interview questions
were created by the primary
investigator and refined through a
pilot study and mentor support.

7. SAMPLE QUESTIONS
 How do you define education?
 How do you define reading?
 In what ways can a secondary teacher teach literacy
or reading skills?
 How did you learn about independent reading
strategies?
 In what ways do you incorporate independent reading
strategies in your classroom?
 What effects from independent reading do you see in
the classroom?
 What influences your decision to incorporate
independent reading into the classroom?

8. PARTICIPANTS
 Seven teachers with a
teaching span between
eight and 36 years.
 All were certified to teach by
the state agency in either
English or Reading
(endorsed).
 Three of the seven had
degrees in education .
 Four of the seven had
degrees in English or English
Education.
 Six of the seven taught
English or Reading courses
more than five years.

9. DATA ANALYSIS
 Following Glaser’s (1965) constant comparative
approach of repeated readings.
 Steps:
Interview
Transcribe
Each transcript read individually looking for emergent themes.
Transcripts than read across looking for emergent themes.
Data entered into word analysis program (www.wordle.net) to
create word count and word cloud to substantiate themes.
 Similar and binary codes were created and each transcript
was read a final time coding for these ideas.


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10. RESULTS
 Five Different Themes Emerged
 Act of Education
 Difference between reading and
literacy: it is about understanding
 Defining independent reading –
student choice
 Location of independent reading
 Effects of independent reading

11. ACT OF EDUCATION
 Teachers differed on their view of education including
how active students are during the process.
 “Education is the procurement of knowledge, gathering
knowledge to better yourself.”
 “Education is the process … to learn the necessary skills”
 “Students serve as deposits during education.”

12. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN READING
AND LITERACY
 Participants’ understanding of reading and literacy
focused on developing understanding versus fluency.
 “Reading is decoding words written on a page.”
 “Literacy to me means you understand what you are reading
and can apply it to your everyday life and explain it to
others.”

13. DEFINING INDEPENDENT READING
 The hallmark of our participants’
understanding of independent
reading focused on student
choice.
 “Students reading on their own from a
text they choose.”
 “Read from our class library or bring
personal reading to class.”

14. LOCATION OF INDEPENDENT
READING
 Teachers disagreed on the idea of where independent
reading occurs.
 “In my class, independent reading…”
 “at their own pace inside or outside of school, that is
independent reading.”

15. EFFECTS OF INDEPENDENT
READING
 Teachers focused on “catching”
students faking reading.
 “Students try to fool me into
thinking they are reading when
they are not.”
 “Students still refuse to read and
will fake it by holding up a book
without actually reading.”
 “The time is wasted and students
are not focused.”

16. IMPLICATIONS
Teachers
Administrators
Policy Makers
Build knowledge of
independent reading.
Support independent
reading in the
classroom.
Support independent
reading through the
guiding documents,
allowing for the
strategy.
Collaborate with others
to improve
independent reading
implementation.
Provide monetary
resources to teachers
to bolster classroom
libraries.
Develop models for
individual growth
instead of focusing on
standardized testing.

17. CONCLUSION
 Independent reading is an important strategy for
secondary educators.
 Continued research is necessary (and growing strong)
to study independent reading.
 The strategy needs additional support for
implementation to make it successful.

18. CONTACT INFORMATION
Matthew Ulyesses Blankenship
University of South Florida, Tampa
mublanke@usf.edu
Presentation available for
review on Slide Share.