ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS OF TEACHERS TOWARD WRITING INSTRUCTION

This study aims to provide insight into teachers' attitudes toward and beliefs about writing instruction and to discover their beliefs and attitudes are reflected in their writing instruction. The research explores two main approaches to writing, process-based, and product-based, with two upper-level elementary teachers. The theory of planned behavior guides the frame of the study. The theory allowed the study to examine decision-making on a deeper level. It revealed a greater perspective as to why teachers choose a product versus process approach to writing instruction. This research seeks to assist district and school leaders in designing professional learning experiences that will impact educators' beliefs and attitudes toward writing instruction and, ultimately, may help increase the adoption of process-based teaching methods. Data was collected using extensive interviews. The significant finding is that teachers' beliefs and attitudes are the strongest influential factor in their specific approach towards writing instruction and are reflected in their classroom practices. Professional development that places the teachers as writers, allows them to engage in writing actively, and then to step back to think metacognitively about their teaching of writing, is recommended for school districts to ensure students receive high-quality writing instruction.