Chapter 10: Reading Challenges For Middle Grade Teams: Literacy’s Place in Common Planning Time Discussions

As part of a national study of the nature of middle grade teachers’ discussions during common planning time, teachers from 17 schools in 12 states were observed and later interviewed using protocols developed by the Middle Level Education Research Special Interest Group’s National Middle Grades Research Project (Roney, Mertens, Anfara, & Caskey, 2009). This study added a literacy lens by analyzing the data with a specific interest in how teachers address literacy challenges. Using a qualitative approach, the analysis of transcribed data revealed that teachers focused their attention on products of common grade-level literacy activities, details of common experiences, and discussion of selected struggling students. However, details of the process for accomplishing literacy development and measuring literacy achievement were not clearly specified by or for teachers directly. Implications for using a portion of this weekly opportunity for professional development devoted to introduction or review of literacy strategies are discussed.