Reading Failure: Views of Chicago's Elementary Classroom Teachers.

A study determined classroom teachers' opinions of causal factors of reading failure and reported their attitudes on the major issues in reading instruction as suggested in current research. A representative sample of 100 elementary classroom teachers from School District #299 in the Chicago, Illinois area were sent the Ross Reading Survey. A total of 66 usable returns were received. Results indicated that teachers (1) felt they did not have the background necessary to remediate some of the reading problems pupils have; (2) felt there were too many levels in their reading classes, yet they still preferred heterogeneous grouping; (3) did not express the belief that school policy problems and lack of accountability were related to low reading achievement; (4) supported statewide efforts currently being made to align assessment and instruction in Illinois; (5) supported early intervention programs and a reading curriculum which stresses training in phonics; and (6) believed poor reading achievement was caused by environmental problems in the home foremost, but also in the schools. Findings suggest that the importance of teacher inservice training cannot be overstated, and that elementary classroom teachers are informed on critical issues in reading instructi In and are eager to learn more. (Contains 22 references and 1 table of data.) (RS) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************