Exploring Barriers to Effective Delivery of Interactive Read-Alouds from the Perspective of Pre-K and Kindergarten Teachers

The effective delivery of interactive read-alouds to young children fosters language and literacy development. Such development is attainable only when students can read proficiently and on grade level, starting from pre-k and kindergarten. The effectiveness of read-alouds is highly dependent on how teachers interact with their students during the read-aloud. The problem is, due to a broad range of children's abilities in the classroom, and differences in teacher's preparation, many teachers view interactive read-alouds as challenging. Findings from empirical research have supported the premise that reading is fundamental to learning, and such development is a precursor to effective communication. Using a qualitative holistic single-case study approach, the researcher in this study explored barriers pre-k and kindergarten teachers experience when delivering interactive read-alouds to their students, from the teachers' perspectives. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit a minimum of 10 pre-k and kindergarten teachers, with two or more years of interactive read-aloud teaching experiences, from a university laboratory school in Alabama. Semi-structured interview and non-participating observation were utilized for data collection After coding and analysis, with NVivo II qualitative data analysis software, six themes emerged from the research questions. The four themes relevant to research question 1 were: (a) lack of preparation, (b) confidence factor, (c) time constraints, and (d) lack of interest. The two themes relevant to research question 2 were (a) skill proficiency and (b) self-efficacy. The recommendations provide practical use for planning, training and, use of strategic actions to lessen these barriers. Future research studies should include a larger number of pre-k and kindergarten teacher participants and could center on the long-term effect of interactive read-alouds on students' skill, comprehension development, and state assessment scores. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]