Perceived needs of teachers to effectively implement a district wide model of instruction within a balanced literacy framework at the secondary level

The purpose of this study is to determine the needs of secondary ELA teachers in a suburban Texas school district as they implement a Workshop model of instruction within a Balanced Literacy framework. The literature review revealed the following themes were critical to this study: (1) teaching of reading/building literacy at the secondary level, (2) Balanced Literacy including Reader's Workshop, (3) the role of literacy coaches, (4) implementing change in schools, (5) professional development for literacy teachers (6) literacy coaching and (7) professional learning communities. The lack of research specific to the implementation of the Workshop model in secondary classrooms lead to the development of my research questions: What do teachers perceive as needed support to effectively implement a district-wide Workshop model of instruction within a Balanced Literacy framework at the secondary level in a mid-sized suburban school district in Texas? How can literacy coaches effectively and efficiently implement changes in secondary ELA classrooms? How can district personnel support secondary ELA teachers as they begin to use Workshop model and Balanced Literacy framework of instruction in their secondary classrooms? The methodological basis for this study was qualitative; however, no one single method of qualitative inquiry was employed. Instead, the study employed a combination of basic interpretative and critical qualitative methods. Conducted in a mid-sized suburban school district in Texas, the study used relied on data collected from interviews, classroom observations, and researcher journaling to come to determine what ELA teachers at the secondary level perceive as their needs as they implement a Workshop model of instruction within a balanced literacy framework. Additionally, the data collected also determined how literacy coaches and other district personnel could effectively and adequately support teachers.;KEY WORDS: Balanced Literacy, Reader's and Writer's Workshop, Workshop model of Instruction, secondary schools, cognitive coaching, change, professional development.