An investigation of two chapter i teachers’ beliefs about reading and instructional practices

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between two Chapter I teachers’ reader‐based beliefs about reading and their instructional decision‐making that took place as they planned instruction and during actual teaching episodes, as well as to identify possible constraints and opportunities that may have influenced the decision‐making process. For each participant, the researcher selected a pull‐out class (6–10 students) to observe during 10 separate Chapter I instructional sessions. During the observations, the researcher wrote field notes, audiotaped the lessons, collected relevant learning materials, and interviewed the teachers. All data were qualitatively analyzed by a research team that searched for meaningful patterns between and within the participants. Results indicated that, although the participants shared similar beliefs about reading, there was considerable variation in their instructional practices. The participants’ beliefs affected their decision‐making, however, other factors (e.g., the students, personnel, school climate) also influenced their instructional practices.