Making Reading Identity Enactments Visible in a Sixth-Grade Classroom

This embedded single-case study explored how three students and their teacher negotiated students’ reading identity enactments as they experienced sixth-grade literacy instruction. We considered the dynamics that occurred as a function of interactions with others in this evolving, ongoing, social context. Using content analysis, we collaboratively coded and compared multiple data sources to examine how the students enacted their reading identities during moments of learning. Findings suggest an interplay between how power was distributed and how reading identity enactments were aligned during instruction. By exploring these enactments, our findings extend an understanding of how teachers can navigate the complex process of attending to and leveraging students’ dynamic reading identities during instruction.