An Observational Study of Teachers’ Reading Instruction of Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

The authors documented reading instructional practices for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD) as well as strategies used by teachers to redirect behavior and provide positive support during reading. Six teachers of students with E/BD were observed during reading instruction and interviewed. Three of the six teachers provided some reading instruction that was documented as effective and designed to meet the instructional needs of students. Controlling student behavior through isolating students, providing extensive time for worksheets, and negative feedback dominated four teachers’ reading instruction. Teachers reported limited knowledge about how to teach reading.