Small-Group Literacy Instruction and Service Leadership in a Rural Kindergarten Afterschool Program
Abstract
This capstone project examines how small-group literacy instruction within a rural kindergarten afterschool program can support student engagement, early reading development, and broader educational equity in Appalachian communities. Rural schools often face systemic challenges, including limited funding, staff shortages, and reduced access to academic and social-emotional supports, which disproportionately impact young learners (National Rural Education Association [NREA], 2023; Chalkbeat Tennessee, 2019). The objective of this project was to explore how hands-on, small-group literacy tutoring could address these challenges while aligning with best practices in reading instruction and service leadership. The guiding question asked how small-group interactions and afterschool involvement influence engagement and learning outcomes for rural kindergarten students. This project involved repeated tutoring and observation sessions with groups of four to five kindergarten students at Harold McCormick Elementary School during aftercare programming for approximately 11 hours over a period of 6 weeks. This experience also strengthened the afterschool support by reinforcing classroom learning and providing individualized attention often unavailable during the afterschool care. Literacy lessons were intentionally designed using strategies from elementary education coursework, including phonics-based instruction, guided reading, movement-based activities, and interactive discussion. Students frequently demonstrated difficulty remaining seated and sustaining attention; however, engagement increased when instruction incorporated movement, visuals, and hands-on literacy tasks. As a result, students showed improved participation, confidence, and responsiveness to early literacy activities. Professionally, the project deepened my understanding of rural education challenges, affirmed teachers’ roles as service leaders, and directly influenced how I plan to design inclusive, flexible literacy instruction in my future classroom. Overall, this project highlights the value of community-based, small-group literacy interventions as a meaningful response to inequities in rural elementary education.
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 2:30 PM
Room Number
271
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Education
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Faculty Mentor
Laura Robertson
Small-Group Literacy Instruction and Service Leadership in a Rural Kindergarten Afterschool Program
271
This capstone project examines how small-group literacy instruction within a rural kindergarten afterschool program can support student engagement, early reading development, and broader educational equity in Appalachian communities. Rural schools often face systemic challenges, including limited funding, staff shortages, and reduced access to academic and social-emotional supports, which disproportionately impact young learners (National Rural Education Association [NREA], 2023; Chalkbeat Tennessee, 2019). The objective of this project was to explore how hands-on, small-group literacy tutoring could address these challenges while aligning with best practices in reading instruction and service leadership. The guiding question asked how small-group interactions and afterschool involvement influence engagement and learning outcomes for rural kindergarten students. This project involved repeated tutoring and observation sessions with groups of four to five kindergarten students at Harold McCormick Elementary School during aftercare programming for approximately 11 hours over a period of 6 weeks. This experience also strengthened the afterschool support by reinforcing classroom learning and providing individualized attention often unavailable during the afterschool care. Literacy lessons were intentionally designed using strategies from elementary education coursework, including phonics-based instruction, guided reading, movement-based activities, and interactive discussion. Students frequently demonstrated difficulty remaining seated and sustaining attention; however, engagement increased when instruction incorporated movement, visuals, and hands-on literacy tasks. As a result, students showed improved participation, confidence, and responsiveness to early literacy activities. Professionally, the project deepened my understanding of rural education challenges, affirmed teachers’ roles as service leaders, and directly influenced how I plan to design inclusive, flexible literacy instruction in my future classroom. Overall, this project highlights the value of community-based, small-group literacy interventions as a meaningful response to inequities in rural elementary education.
