There is little research on bidialectal teacher preparation for teaching bidialectal English-
speaking Caribbean American students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to
understand teachers’ perception of reading difficulties of Caribbean American children in
a local district that has a large percentage of these students who demonstrate low reading
achievement. Chomsky’s language acquisition theory and Vygotsky’s social
constructivism theory provided frameworks for this study. The research questions were
directed at describing how teachers taught bidialectal, English-speaking Caribbean
American students to read. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of experienced
teachers through interviews, observations, and document analysis. Data were analyzed
using a simple word by word, line-by-line coding, incident-by-incident coding, and by
discovering patterns and emerging themes through triangulation of data from transcripts,
classroom observations, and lesson plans. Results suggested the need for a systematic
approach to address reading difficulties associated with bidialectal interference among
students at all grade levels. A key recommendation was for teachers to use students’
dialect as a foundation to scaffold new literacy skills. A project professional development
training guide was constructed for the district using the results of this study. The
suggestions in the guide could promote positive social change as teachers at the site
develop the skills and understandings to enhance the reading achievement of bidialectal,
English-speaking students.