Understanding that the researcher is a former English teacher and curriculum
writer by the participants will certainly serve as an intervention. In fact, Joseph
Maxwell (2005) states, "the researcher's presence is always an intervention"
(p. 111). The fact that the researcher was observing the teacher with the stated
purpose of looking for changes in pedagogy may affect the teachers' methods and/or
the student responses. In order to minimize this, the researcher was as unobtrusive
as possible. Understanding that the comfort level of the teacher is primary, the
researcher first established a familiarity with the teacher prior to observation. To
the best of the researcher's ability, an unbiased and neutral view was maintained
throughout the study.
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