Date of Graduation

Spring 2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

College/School

School of Education

Department

Learning and Instruction

Program

Learning & Instruction EdD

First Advisor

Dr. Xornam Apedoe

Second Advisor

Dr. Kevin Oh

Third Advisor

Dr. Helen Maniates

Abstract

Teaching literacy in elementary schools can provide students with a rich, meaningful, and engaging learning experience. Furthermore, cultivating a culturally responsive approach to teaching and learning can promote feelings of acceptance and belonging in young children (Comber, 2018). However, elementary educators are feeling increased pressure to emphasize literacy instruction with a sole focus on foundational literacy skills, standardized curriculum, and accountability measures (Unadkat & Ochoa, 2026). Unfortunately, these instructional practices often limit students' opportunities to engage in creative, collaborative, multimodal, and meaningful learning (Unadkat & Cuenca, 2025). This mixed-methods study examined how a critical multiliteracies curriculum was implemented in a third-grade classroom and how it influenced students’ feelings of belonging, reading attitude, and reading engagement.

This study was conducted in a third-grade classroom during a weather and climate unit. Three students were selected as case study participants to provide insight into their experiences with a critical multiliteracies curriculum. Students engaged in literacy-based activities and used multimodal tools to enhance their learning and understanding of weather and climate. Students used technology independently and collaboratively to access texts and create design tools, digital media, and visual representations. Data were collected through student interviews, student observations, and measures of reading attitude and reading engagement. The Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS; McKenna, 1990) measured student attitudes toward reading and the Reading Engagement Scale (RES; McGeown & Smith, 2024) measured students’ reading engagement.

Findings showed that students engaged positively with a critical multiliteracies curriculum and accessed literacy in expansive ways. Results from the RES showed that all three participants showed increases in reading engagement. Furthermore, data demonstrated that multimodal and expansive forms of literacy increased students' sense of belonging when they felt that they could contribute and participate in unique and meaningful ways. Findings from the ERAS, however, demonstrated a decrease in students’ reading attitudes. This decline suggests that students’ approaches to reading may be more expansive and complex than a single measure can capture.

This study contributes to empirical research on how implementing a critical multiliteracies curriculum can provide inclusive learning opportunities that allow students to engage in creative, collaborative, and meaningful ways.

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