Instructional Practices in the Middle Grades: A Mixed Methods Case Study

Abstract

Deciding which instructional strategies to employ is a complex issue faced daily by middle school teachers. Although a wealth of literature on developmentally appropriate and responsive middle school instructional practices is available, the extent to which these strategies are employed is often unknown. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the instructional practices being utilized in core academic subjects in middle schools in a southeastern state. Using a mixed methods case study design, teachers' espoused beliefs about instruction and instructional practices were explored through a questionnaire and interviews and their actual practices were observed during classroom instruction. Findings revealed a disconnect between teachers' espoused beliefs and actual practices. One third of participating teachers indicated that the strategy employed most often in their classrooms is that of authentic inquiry, but there was little evidence of this in classroom observations. Instead, 78.3% of observations involved teacher-directed instruction or student seatwork supported by the teacher. Implications for school administrators are also discussed. © 2012 SAGE Publications.