Secondary Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Aimed at Assisting Black Male Adolescents Who Struggle with Reading
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D)
Department
Curriculum and Instruction
Date of Award
Spring 5-1-2026
Abstract
Teacher professional development (PD) training and Black males continue to be major topics of concern within the education arena. To remain current on instructional strategies and trends, state and local agencies require educators who wish to continue their teaching duties to complete 150 continuing professional education hours of PD training and obtain a certificate renewal. No matter the presentation format, it is critical to ascertain whether literacy teachers’ PD training addresses the needs of all students, especially those of Black adolescent males with reading difficulties. This study employed a quantitative survey research design and explanatory question model to collect, analyze, and explain participants’ responses to a 24-item survey. The data was collected from a total of 14 different secondary schools’ ELAR teachers, plus from participants affiliated with the Facebook social media network, Dallas–Fort Worth Certified Teachers’ Lounge. The study utilized the 2022, 2023, and 2024 academic years for the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness for Reading (STAAR) assessment data and the STAAR v Reading End of the Course for analysis. The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in 2019, disrupted as well as altered educational operations globally, including in Texas, and led the researcher to select to study the academic testing years of 2022 through 2024. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts and teachers were compelled to develop creative teaching, motivation for student learning, PD training initiatives, and testing methods. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of PD training for ELAR teachers to address the instructional needs of adolescent Black males Grades 7 through 12. The researcher examined ELAR teachers’ perceptions regarding instructional strategies, classroom management, and students’ engagement that reflect the needs of middle through high school Black male students who struggle with reading.
Advisor
Tami Morton
Subject Categories
Education
Recommended Citation
Herndon-Lewis, Sharon Lorraine, "Secondary Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development Aimed at Assisting Black Male Adolescents Who Struggle with Reading" (2026). Electronic Theses & Dissertations. 1360.
https://lair.etamu.edu/etd/1360
