World Education Connect Multidisciplinary e-Publication, Vol. VI, Issue V (May 2026), pp. 485-490
Melanie J. Chiefe
Abstract
This IMRaD paper presents a concise account of a phenomenological inquiry into English Language Arts teachers’ lived experiences in using reading comprehension strategies in the classroom. The study focused on how teachers describe their actual instructional practices, how professional development shapes their effectiveness, what strategies are commonly used, and what action plan may be proposed from the findings. Using a qualitative phenomenological design, the study gathered data from 10 purposively selected ELA teachers in the Greeley-Evans School District in Colorado through semi-structured interviews. The narratives were coded and analyzed thematically to identify recurring meanings across classroom experiences. Findings revealed that reading comprehension instruction was not treated as a single activity but as a carefully guided process shaped by structure, purpose, adaptation, and reflection. Teachers used repeated reading, close reading, annotation, questioning, summarizing, vocabulary support, chunking, modeling, graphic organizers, small-group discussion, and evidence-based responses to help learners understand complex texts. Professional development was considered helpful when it was research-based, collaborative, contextualized, and followed by coaching or continuous support. However, one-time and generic training was viewed as less effective because it did not fully respond to classroom realities. The study concludes that effective reading comprehension instruction depends on consistent routines, explicit strategy instruction, learner-responsive support, and sustained teacher collaboration. Based on the findings, PROJECT READS+ is proposed as an action plan to strengthen reflective, engaged, adaptive, and differentiated reading comprehension practices among ELA teachers. Its value rests in helping schools translate teacher experience into a practical literacy improvement program (Dewitz & Graves, 2024; Juma, 2024).
Keywords: ELA teachers, lived experiences, reading comprehension strategies, professional development, PROJECT READS+
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