Date of Award
5-1-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Education
First Advisor
Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham
Second Advisor
Joseph Sweeney
Third Advisor
George McClellan
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
This qualitative study explored secondary English teachers’ perceptions of the emphasis on history education and its perceived impact on their students’ comprehension of literature. This research used an interpretivist approach and a conceptual framework shaped by schema theory and constructivism to understand whether teachers perceived a shift in the value of history education, how they described such shifts, if any, and how they responded instructionally to those shifts, if necessary.
Data was collected through six semi-structured interviews with 11th and 12th grade English Language Arts teachers from public high schools in Mississippi, each with a minimum of ten years teaching experience. Interviews were conducted via Zoom, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed through two phases of coding: open coding and In Vivo coding. A crystallization approach was used to interpret the data across multiple dimensions of meaning. Credibility was strengthened through reflexive bracketing, member checking, and a data review by a committee member and a colleague.
Findings indicated that participants perceived a clear decline and narrowing in the emphasis on history education over time, largely driven by high-stakes testing and reduced cross-curricular alignment between history education and English Language Arts. Teachers consistently perceived a strong relationship between students’ historical knowledge and their ability to comprehend literature, particularly texts rich in historical context and nuance. As a result, teachers described an increased instructional burden, characterized by extensive front-loading, compensatory scaffolding, and self-directed historical research, despite many participants feeling unqualified to teach historical context. Teachers also perceived that weak historical schemas negatively affected students’ engagement, confidence, and persistence when encountering complex texts.
The study concluded that, from the teachers’ perspectives, diminished and marginalized history education has reshaped the nature of secondary English instruction, positioning English teachers as compensatory schema builders. These findings suggested a need for greater curricular alignment, reconsideration of testing-driven instructional priorities, and structural support to ensure students develop the historical foundations necessary for deep literary comprehension.
Recommended Citation
Poole, Bailey J., "Secondary English Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding the Impact, If Any, of Shifts in The Emphasis of History Education on Students’ Comprehension of Literature" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8865.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8865