Date of Award

12-1983

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Carol Sheffer

Second Advisor

Dr. Uldis Smidchens

Third Advisor

Dr. Loren Crane

Abstract

This study focused upon the amount of knowledge that elementary principals in schools holding membership in the Association of Christian Schools International have regarding primary reading instruction. The problem was based on the contention that the elementary principal is responsible for the instructional program in his or her school, and in order to offer quality supervision, he or she must be knowledgeable about curriculum.

Data were obtained from a research questionnaire completed by 220 principals and 1,065 elementary teachers. The questionnaire contained 40 statments relating to primary-grade reading. Seven categories of reading concepts were utilized: (1) word recognition, (2) comprehension, (3) reading readiness, (4) materials, (5) methods, (6) evaluation of teachers, and (7) evaluation of students. The responses of the principals were compared to the responses of a panel of reading specialists and to the responses of the teachers they supervise.

To analyze the data collected, an F-ratio was used to compare the mean scores of the responses of the principals and the national jury and also the mean scores of the principals and teachers in each of the seven categories mentioned.

Support for each of the seven hypotheses which stated that the knowledge of principals would compare favorably with the knowledge of the national jury was not found. Support for each of the seven hypotheses which stated that knowledge of the principals would compare favorably with the teachers they supervise was not found.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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