Shaping Writers, Shaping Pedagogy: Elementary Teachers’ Writing Identities and Instructional Change Within Literacy Coaching Contexts

Author

• Elizabeth T. Besch, Clemson UniversityFollow

Date of Award

8-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Literacy, Language and Culture

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Sarah Jerasa

Committee Member

Dr. Heather Dunham

Committee Member

Dr. Phillip Wilder

Committee Member

Dr. Brian Kissel

Abstract

Despite the central role of writing in literacy development, many elementary teachers report limited preparation in writing instruction and uncertainty in how they understood themselves as writers. Increasingly, literacy coaching has been positioned as a form of job-embedded professional learning that supports instructional change; however, less is known about how coaching contexts shape teachers’ identities as writers and how those identities relate to instructional practice.

This qualitative multiple-case study examined how elementary teachers’ writer identities were constructed and enacted within a literacy coaching context. The study addressed the following research questions: (1) How do literacy coaching contexts, as figured worlds, shape the ways teachers construct their identities as writers and enact agency in their instructional practices? and (2) How do elementary teachers describe and enact their writer identities within these figured worlds of coaching and classroom instruction?

This study was conducted at a single elementary school and included four classroom teachers and one literacy coach. Data included semi-structured interviews and instructional artifacts such as lesson materials and classroom videos. Data analysis followed an iterative process using open coding and thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), alongside narrative analysis to identify key identity shifts and turning points. The study was theoretically grounded in figured worlds theory (Holland et al., 1998) and Gee’s (2000, 2017) conceptualization of identity, with Transformative Learning Theory (Mezirow, 1991) informing interpretations of change.

Findings indicated that teachers entered the coaching context within historically constraining figured worlds of writing, often shaped by prior experiences with writing as rule-bound or evaluative. Findings indicated that teachers entered the coaching context with writer identities that were often narrowly defined by prior experiences with writing as rule-bound or evaluative. Literacy coaching functioned as a figured world that supported experimentation, collaboration, and risk-taking in writing instruction. Within this context, teachers enacted writer identities through practices such as writing alongside students, supporting student choice, and using mentor texts. However, identity development remained contextually bounded; teachers frequently described themselves as confident “grade-level writers” while resisting broader identification as writers beyond their classrooms. Additionally, identity development was collective and socially mediated, with teachers emphasizing the importance of collaboration, shared practice, and non-evaluative coaching relationships.

This study suggests that teacher identity development in writing is not solely an internal process but is constructed through participation in socially organized professional contexts. Literacy coaching, when relational, sustained, and grounded in authentic writing practices, can create conditions that support both instructional change and teacher growth. These findings highlight the importance of professional learning environments that engage teachers as writers, support collaboration and reflection, and foster instructional growth over time.

Recommended Citation

Besch, Elizabeth T., "Shaping Writers, Shaping Pedagogy: Elementary Teachers’ Writing Identities and Instructional Change Within Literacy Coaching Contexts" (2026). All Dissertations. 4396.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4396