Date of Award
2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Publication Status
Version of Record
Submission Date
October 2026
Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]
Vaughan, Michelle
Abstract
The Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention System (LLI), first edition, is a textbook series designed for struggling elementary school readers. The materials have become entrenched in the nation’s schools and are currently utilized as an intervention resource in all fifty states and four of the seven largest school districts in Florida. Reading intervention support is a requirement for students in most states, often due to their performance on standardized assessments (Diffey, 2016). Moreover, NAEP data indicates that students of color are overrepresented in reading intervention courses; thus, instructional materials choices made for these courses disproportionally affect this population (The Nation’s Report Card, n.d.). As culturally relevant texts are academically beneficial, it is critical that intervention materials are appropriately representative (Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Au, 2001; Sampson & Garrison-Wade, 2011). The purpose of this qualitative critical content analysis of the 731 books within the LLI system was to examine the cultural, ethnic, and racial representation of people/characters of color within the series. Major findings revealed that people/characters of color were depicted from a deficit model (Ladson-Billings, 2018). Coded information revealed 41.5% included a negative characterization while 7.6% offered a positive portrayal. Further, the books exploring the experiences and cultures of people/characters of color depicted undesirable conditions 25.7% of the time while presenting favorable information 2.5% of the time. The final finding centers on what is missing from the stories. Other than a select few texts, the LLI books are colorblind, presenting students an inaccurate view of society. Accordingly, counternarratives and stories that center on social justice/equity are notably absent.
Extent
160 p.
Recommended Citation
Fedderman, Diana, "A CRITICAL CONTENT ANALYSIS OF FOUNTAS AND PINNELL’S LLI SYSTEM" (2023). Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present. 1098.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_general/1098
Identifier
FA00014261
Comments
Includes bibliography.|Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2023.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.