Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Dr. Bronwyn MacFarlane
Second Advisor
Dr. Tania Reis
Committee Members
Dr. Joanna Grymes
Abstract
This qualitative phenomenological study explored kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of the literacy skills of students from households with limited financial resources, compared to students who attended the universal preschool program located in District A with those who did not. The study addressed three research questions: 1. How do teachers perceive the literacy skills of these students? 2. How do teachers describe their experiences teaching literacy to these students? and 3. What resources or professional development do teachers identify as helpful in supporting literacy instruction? Semi-structured interviews with kindergarten teachers were conducted and analyzed to identify common themes. Participants reported that children who attended the universal preschool program demonstrated stronger social-emotional skills, but challenges for literacy instruction existed. Participants stressed that structured literacy instruction, alignment between preschool and kindergarten curricula, and consistent home support are essential for developing early literacy skills in students from households with limited financial resources. These findings bring to light that socioeconomic factors influence early literacy, and universal preschool alone does not ensure the development of early literacy skills needed for kindergarten.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Shelton, Angela, "A Phenomenological Inquiry into Kindergarten Teacher Perceptions of Literacy Skills" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1140.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1140
