Early literacy instruction in Mexico: Finding congruence between theory and practice

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Early literacy instruction in Mexico Finding
congruence between theory and practice

• Diane Sharken Taboada
• Berkeley Unified School District
• Jill Kerper Mora
• San Diego State University
• University of CA
• Linguistic Minority Research Institute Annual
  Conference
• May 2006

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Purpose

• Explore whether some literacy instructional
  practices are universally effective, while others
  are effective within a particular socio-cultural
  and linguistic context.
• Examine relationship between Mexicos National
  Reading Program (MNRP) based on constructivist
  theory and teachers theoretical orientations
  toward literacy and their actual instructional
  practices

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Theoretical Base

• Linkage between constructivist model and approach
  to reading instruction and effective instruction
  for promoting student achievement definition of
  the good reader
• Constructivist instructional practices are
  identifiable and can be implemented through a
  reading program
• Program reforms and literacy instruction policy
  can influence teacher practice.
• Teachers theoretical orientation and pedagogical
  knowledge 1) informs and guides their classroom
  practice and 2) can mediate the level of program
  implementation.

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The Mexico Context

• Federally-mandated,centrally-controlled uniform
  literacy program characterized by
• constructivist framework
• long-term implementation (since l993-94)
• comprehensive program K-6, including curriculum
  guidelines and resources for teachers and
  students
• implemented with diverse populations (urban,
  rural, indigenous communities)

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Research Questions

• Level of congruence between constructivist model
  of the MNRP and teachers self-reported
  theoretical orientation to reading instruction in
  Spanish
• Level of congruence between theoretical framework
  of the MNRP and teachers implementation of the
  program in first grade classrooms
• Contextual factors of teacher professional
  development and administrative and programmatic
  instructional support infrastructures associated
  with higher or lower levels of teachers
  implementation of the MNRP

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Triangulation of the data
TORIS Survey
Interviews
Observations
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Participants

• STUDY SITES Two school zones in central Mexico,
  San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and the city of
  Querétaro, Querétaro
• 242 teachers surveyed using TORIS questionnaire
• 51 interviews with federal program developers,
  staff developers, teacher educators and classroom
  teachers
• 290 hours of classroom observations 3 long-term
  observations and 13 short-term (one-day) visits

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Description of the MNRP

• Instructional resources
• Program components
• Reading (Leer y compartir)
• Oral language (Hablar y escuchar)
• Writing (Tiempo de escribir)
• Reflection about language (Reflexión sobre la
  lengua)
• Instructional strategies
• Evaluation

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Theoretical Orientation to Reading Instruction in
Spanish (TORIS)

• based on DeFord (l985) Theoretical Orientation
  to Reading Profile
• Development of the instrument
• Content validity procedures
• Factor analysis
• Correlation analysis

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TORIS Survey Results

• MNRP framework included items from
  constructivist, whole language, phonics and
  skills.
• A distinction emerged between the traditional
  teachers and constructivist teachers.
• Level of congruence with different approaches was
  normally distributed in the population.

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Interpretation of Interview and Observation Data

• Teacher educators and staff developers show a
  high level of belief in and support for the MNRP
  constructivist framework of the program, while
  teachers range in instructional beliefs and
  preferred strategies.
• Classroom teachers with greater articulation of
  underlying theory of the MNRP exhibited higher
  levels of congruence with the program during
  daily instruction.
• Teacher educators and staff developers report a
  low level of teacher understanding of
  constructivist theory and persistent use of
  traditional instructional strategies.

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Findings

• Traditional Model
• Focus on decoding
• Isolated skills instruction
• Rote-learning and memorization
• Passive non-engaged learners
• Lack of motivation to read for specific purposes
  and enjoyment

• Constructivist Practices
• Focus on comprehension
• Skills instruction in a meaningful context
• Functional communicative approach
• High level of student participation
• Shifting definition of a good reader

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Conclusions

• 1. The MNRPs theoretical coherence guides and
  supports teachers in implementing constructivist
  literacy practices
• 2. Teachers ability to articulate underlying
  theory is reflected in levels of classroom
  implementation
• 3. Weaknesses in program implementation are
  associated with
• lack of explicitness within the program itself
• teachers instructional decisions
• lack of modeling and support network for new
  practices

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Policy Implications
Its Possible to Mandate Change

• If teachers have a coherent theoretical
  understanding of a model of literacy, technical
  expertise, the materials and resources to
  implement a program, and the freedom to make
  decisions about how to implement based on the
  needs of their students, the results will be
  effective instructional practices.

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Policy Implications
Its Difficult to Mandate Change

• Reforms must have a clear focus and direction, be
  appropriate for the context, and remain stable
  and consistent over time.
• Tension exists between mandated reforms and
  teachers belief systems and established
  instructional practices.
• Teachers buy-in is essential but technical
  knowledge and enabling resources must also be
  present.
• We need to understand teachers eclecticism
  within their particular context of instruction
  and student populations they serve.

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Contact Us Diane S. Taboada Berkeley Unified
School District sharkentaboada_at_yahoo.com Jill
Kerper Mora San Diego State University
jmora_at_mail.sdsu.edu http//coe.sdsu.edu/people/jm
ora