An Investigation of Consistency Between Theoretical Orientations to Reading and Planning for Reading Instruction: A Three-Year Study.

The purpose of this three-year study was to investigate the participants' theoretical orientations to reading over time. By presenting an in-depth description of the thoughts and actions, as related to the research questions, of nine student teachers during their student teaching experience, and again three years later as elementary teachers, this study provided valuable insights into the degree to which a well-defined theoretical orientation to reading is internalized and how it manifests in classroom practices. The research questions that were investigated included the durability of theoretical orientations to reading, consistency between theoretical orientations and planning for reading instruction, and the identification of enabling or constraining factors that influenced consistency between theoretical orientations and planning. The knowledge contributed by this study has implications for such practical concerns as the development and implementation of teacher preparation programs and inservice education.