Abstract:
The purpose of this multiple case study was to investigate the literature instruction practices of two high school English teachers. Furthermore, this study sought to explore how the participants' conceptualizations of interest, reading engagement, and motivation were reflected in their literature instructional practices. Using various qualitative methods of data collection, such as interviews and observations, the researcher utilized emerged open and focused codes to interpret findings revealed through the data. Five focused codes emerged from the data analysis: 1) Selecting Literature and Identifying a Purpose for Reading, 2) Planning for Instruction, 3) Strategic Teaching, 4) Role of Literary Criticism, and 5) Engaging Students in Reading. In the cross case analysis, five themes emerged across the two cases: 1) The Constraints and Freedoms of the Educational Climate, 2) The Influence of Each Teacher's Education Preparation on Their Teaching Methodologies, 3) How Teaching to One's Strengths Affects Instructional Planning and Implementation, 4) The Role of Situational and Individual Interest During in Class Activities, and 5) The Role That Student Autonomy and Teacher Support Play in Students' Engagement with Texts and Motivation to Read. The findings of this case study suggest that the two participants could clearly discuss their conceptualizations of interest, reading engagement, and motivation as well as the ways in which they planned and carried out literature instruction. However, the results indicated that these teachers were unable to demonstrate a cognizance of how their conceptualizations of these concepts affected the methodologies they utilized as they selected literature and carried out instruction.
