Adolescent literacy and school structure: A comparative case study

Students who leave elementary school after fourth grade may not be receiving adequate literacy instruction. Although many recent studies have focused on a drop in test scores for middle school students, a gap exists in the literature with regard to explicit literacy instruction in elementary and non-elementary school settings. To inform educators about the relationship between school placement and adolescent achievement in literacy, this qualitative study was constructed from various theories of motivation and the literacy theories of Fountas and Pinnell. The purpose of this comparative case study was to describe the literacy programs for fifth and sixth grade students housed in an elementary school and those in which these grades are not housed in an elementary school to determine if separating those two grade levels from the elementary school setting influenced the literacy achievement in these students. Data were collected from multiple sources of evidence, including interviews, observations, and documents. Interview and observational data were coded inductively using open coding. Findings indicated that while the differences in school structure impacted school culture, there were no major differences seen in the practice of literacy instruction. For the elementary school, the six-day cycle played an important role in supporting student learning and engagement. For the non-elementary school, having the extra qualified personnel to assist with literacy instruction was essential for supporting instructional best-practices within the classroom. This study informs social change by offering school districts information on how to best meet the literacy needs of adolescent learners through adjustments to school day scheduling and effective use of personnel.