Outstanding Literacy Instruction in First Grade: Teacher Practices and Student Achievement. Reading Research Report No. 81.

Classroom observations and in-depth interviews were used to study nine first-grade teachers who were nominated by language arts coordinators as being either outstanding or typical in their ability to help students develop the skills of beginning literacy. Based on observational measures of year-end student reading and writing achievement and on ongoing measures of student engagement, three groups of teachers emerged from the original set of nine. Among the three teachers in the highest achievement group, the following cluster of beliefs and practices were found to distinguish their instruction from that of their more typical peers: (1) instructional balance of skills and high-quality reading and writing experiences; (2) a high density of instruction; (3) extensive use of scaffolding; (4) encouragement of student self-regulation; (5) a thorough integration of reading and writing activities; (6) high expectations for all students; (7) masterful classroom management; and (8) an awareness of purpose. Results complemented earlier survey data that highlighted the complexity of primary literacy instruction. These data and the previous survey results provide convergent support for the conclusion that truly outstanding primary-level literacy instruction is a balanced integration of high-quality reading and writing experiences and explicit instruction of basic literacy skills. (Contains 66 references and 3 tables of data. Appendixes present interview protocols, sample questions asked of teachers, and a sample model presented to a teacher during an interview.) (Author/RS)