Adaptive Teaching in Literacy Instruction: Case Studies of Two Teachers

Researchers frequently suggest that effective teachers adapt their teaching to navigate the complexity of classroom literacy instruction. However, little research has examined how teachers adapt their instruction, teachers’ reflections on their adaptations, or the instructional conditions in which they adapt. To address this gap in the research literature, the study reported here used instrumental case studies to examine two third grade teachers’ literacy instruction. Specifically, this study explored teachers’ adaptations, their reflections on adapting, and the openness of the tasks they implemented. Observations and interviews illustrated the metacognition teachers use to adapt their instruction within the complexity of classroom instruction. Moreover, findings revealed that teachers adapted with greater frequency when using open tasks.