Date Approved

8-9-2025

Graduate Degree Type

Project

Degree Name

Education-Literacy Studies: Reading (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

Literacy, Educational Foundations, & Technology

First Advisor

Elizabeth Stolle

Academic Year

2025/2026

Abstract

Special education teachers face unique challenges in delivering effective literacy instruction to students with disabilities, yet traditional professional development often remains disconnected from the realities of special education classrooms. These conventional models frequently lack opportunities for sustained collaboration, reflective practice, and the application of evidence-based strategies tailored to diverse learner needs. This project presents a comprehensive plan for designing and facilitating Learning Labs, a form of embedded professional development grounded in constructivist and sociocultural theories. The Learning Lab model emphasizes collaborative inquiry, pedagogically productive talk, and the analysis of authentic instructional artifacts to deepen teachers’ understanding of effective literacy instruction. Building on existing research that supports job-embedded, teacher-driven professional learning, this project offers a framework specifically adapted for special education contexts, addressing a significant gap in the professional development literature. This model incorporates research-informed instructional strategies aligned with High-Leverage Practices for Special Education and Michigan’s Literacy Essentials for Grades 4 and 5, providing structured and actionable opportunities for teachers to enhance their practice. The design emphasizes sustainability, contextual relevance, and professional ownership, with the goal of increasing teacher confidence and instructional capacity in delivering explicit, differentiated, and individualized instruction to students with disabilities. By offering a replicable and meaningful alternative to traditional workshop-based professional development, this project contributes to the field of special education by proposing a practical and theory-driven approach to improving teacher learning and ultimately advancing literacy outcomes for students in resource room settings.

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