A phenomenological study of the experiences of middle school students with reading deficiencies

Having a reading deficiency is an unfortunate reality for many students across the United States. Slavin et al. (2008) state that more than 3000 students drop out of high school every day, and the most commonly cited reason is they lack the appropriate literacy skills to keep up with the curriculum. The negative impacts that stem from a student being unable to read at an appropriate level do not only affect the student but also can have a negative effect on society as well. Greene (2000) asserts that a lack of literacy skills costs the U.S. as much as $16 billion per year in decreased productivity and remedial costs. There is a large population of students who are unable to read on grade level, yet we as educators have an incomplete understanding as to what they truly experience. It is crucial to hear from students what the essence of their experience is so that the researcher can share it with educators in an attempt to determine what is necessary to positively enhance their experience. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to allow students who struggle with reading to describe their experiences in school to the researcher. Permitting students to share their feelings about the system and structure of school along with providing details regarding what has helped or hindered their learning will assist educators in cultivating positive future learning experiences. Therefore, the major research question to be answered in this study is as follows: How do students who struggle with reading in a middle school describe their experiences in school as a learner? In order to answer this question, three sub-questions will be studied: *What do students who struggle with reading perceive to be their biggest challenges in school? *What do students who struggle with reading identify as making them feel successful in school?*What do students who struggle with reading identify as having an impact on their school experience? The major data to be collected in this study will come from interviews. Data from this study will contribute to findings which teachers not only in this school district but in any district with low readers can use in order to attempt to understand from the students perspective what their lives are like each day in school. It is likely that experiences, themes, techniques, and strategies described by students in this population will give teachers a new outlook from which they can enhance learning outcomes. In an age where standardized testing is at the forefront of many conversations, the social and emotional well-being of students is often pushed aside, as teachers have much more pressure to prepare students for state tests. This study will give teachers insight regarding what techniques and strategies can prove useful for students who are struggling readers.