Article: The Impact of Inquiry-Based Professional Development on Teachers’ Capacity to Integrate Literacy Instruction in Secondary Subject Areas
Publication: Teaching and Teacher Education, An International Journal of Research and Studies
Publisher: Elsevier
Publication Date: April 2018
Related WestEd Authors: Cynthia Greenleaf, Cindy Litman, and Stacy Marple
Related WestEd Program: Teacher Professional Development Program

This study explored the impact of an inquiry-based professional development model designed to help teachers in integrating literacy and content learning. The study drew on classroom observations of 34 English language arts, history, and science teachers with reputations for good instructional practice.

An analysis of video data from observed lessons revealed that a subset of teachers who had previously participated in Reading Apprenticeship professional learning offered significantly more opportunities and support for complex literacies and greater integration of literacy and content learning, lending support to the argument that through well-designed, generative, inquiry-based professional learning experiences, teachers gain enduring professional insights to guide their instruction over time and the capacity to flexibly and adaptably respond to the dynamic and ongoing flow of teaching.

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