Examining teachers' instructional language and students' independence during response to intervention

Response to Intervention (RtI) emphasizes early intervention for students who have difficulty learning to read (Allington, 2011; James, 2004). The purpose of this study is to analyze teachers’ instructional language and how it relates to first grade students’ independence in reading within three RtI intervention settings. The foundation of this study is grounded in research related to a transactional perspective and an instructional perspective on RtI (Clay, 1987, 2001, 2005a; Johnston, 2010; McEneaney, Lose, & Schwartz, 2006; Tackett, Roberts, Baker, & Scammaca, 2009). The data sources, including lesson plans from the intervention teachers and videotaped intervention lessons, will be used to complete a microethnographic discourse analysis (Bloome, Carter, Christian, Otto, & Schuart-Faris, 2005). The following question will guide the study: How does teachers’ instructional language relate to students’ development of independence in reading within RtI intervention settings? This study has a primary focus on how teachers use language within literacy events and therefore, aligns with a microethnographic discourse analysis approach. The turn taking exchanges from teachers to students within small moments of time during an intervention setting will be investigated to better understand students’ development of independence in reading. The theoretical tools described by Bloome et al. (2005) encompassing a microethnographic discourse analysis approach will be used to add depth to the search for meaning.