Literacy Instruction for Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: Examining Teacher Practice and Preparation

This study presents findings from a survey of secondary special education teachers who teach reading to students with learning disabilities (LD). Respondents were 392 special education teachers from a large Midwestern State who completed an online or paper survey. Results indicate predominant foci of secondary special education teachers' reading instructional practices were teaching vocabulary and comprehension, engaging in ongoing formative assessment, and incorporating technology into instruction. Additionally, the majority of respondents report not feeling adequately prepared to teach reading to secondary students with LD. These findings are discussed in relation to the national discourse on adolescent literacy and special education teacher preparation. Keywords: Reading Instruction, Special Education, Secondary, Adolescents with Disabilities