Implementing a structured literacy approach: a collaborative inquiry

This study examined ways in which members of a collaborative inquiry group (CIG) worked together for the purpose of improving students’ reading skills in the early primary grades. The CIG specifically focused on using aspects of a structured literacy approach in the classroom. Data was collected through written reflections, observations, and interviews. As this was an action research study, the principal investigator was also a part of the study. The three themes that emerged from the data were teacher efficacy, professional growth, and collaborative inquiry. The results of this study confirm that there are many benefits to participating in a CIG. Particularly, teachers appreciated being active contributors to their own learning, and being treated as experts in their field. The study confirms that teachers place value on working collectively to solve problems related to meeting the diverse needs of their students. While the results pointed to the benefits of implementing a structured literacy approach, there remains a need for further research to evaluate the impact of this approach on student learning.