Abstract
Maria Montessori and Lev Vygotsky believed that children learn best through having personal experiences and social interactions with the people and the environment around them (Lawrence & Snow, 2011; Montessori,1995; Vygotsky, 1978). Students lose important general classroom instructional time and learning opportunities when they are pulled out to receive reading intervention lessons. When teachers collaborate and approach reading intervention in a connected way, while providing explicit instruction to the students, learning is capitalized. Grounded in the Sociocultural theory, this study and project aimed to address the learning needs of students who struggle with reading in the primary grades of the general education classroom. Anchored in culturally responsive teaching techniques, the research in this project highlight ways teachers are able to respect the diverse student populations housed in American classrooms in respectful and motivating ways. The methods used in this study was in the form of qualitative and quantitative research through conducting surveys. Survey participants were Lead Teachers, Teacher Assistants, and Reading Specialists in a Montessori Setting. The results of the feedback received from the surveys tailored the handbook of resources that will help meet the reading needs for students who struggle with learning how to read. Additionally, this study provides recommendations in addressing reading motivation and identifying the responsibilities of literacy professionals at the school and network level that are rooted in International Literacy Association Standards.