Louisiana Teachers’ Experiences of Instructional Strategies for Improving Literacy Skills of K-3 Students

Over 50% of K-3 students struggle with literacy skills at a southeastern Louisiana school. The issue continues despite teachers attending weekly professional development sessions to improve literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of K-3 teachers regarding their instructional strategies to teach students. The simple view of reading (SVR) served as the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on exploring the experiences of K-3 teachers regarding their literacy instructional strategies and the resources and supports needed to implement the SVR framework into their literacy instruction. For the basic qualitative design, 10 teachers from a southeastern Louisiana school were interviewed using open-ended questions. The results of the data analysis, using thematic analysis through initial, axial, and pattern coding, indicated that teachers need better support and training in decoding and language comprehension skills, and instructional resources such as literacy books and workbooks for students to implement the SVR framework to improve their literacy instruction. Additionally, teachers would like to have additional support personnel in their classrooms and school events, such as literacy nights, that could increase parental involvement. This study concludes with 4 days of professional development sessions, spread out over the year, to support and train teachers regarding the SVR framework. Literacy coaching sessions and parental involvement events will follow these sessions. By improving literacy instruction, teachers become more confident and capable in their roles, enabling them to address students' literacy challenges effectively. This can foster long-term academic success and ultimately contribute to a more economically stable society.