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Identifying as a Teacher of Reading: A Case Study of Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs About Reading and the Teaching of Reading Over the Duration of a Required ELA Course

Date

2021-12-20

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

ORCID

0000-0002-5288-1685

Type

Thesis

Degree Level

Doctoral

Abstract

Teacher candidates (TCs) prior understandings and knowledge around reading instruction and reading acquisition emerge through various experiences and have the potential to contradict notions presented in the curriculum and pedagogy of English Language Arts courses. As TCs engage in coursework related to reading pedagogy, tensions and cognitive dissonance may be negotiated. This qualitative study, approached through a social constructivist framework, explored beliefs about the teaching and learning of reading held by elementary TCs. Using case study methodology, this inquiry surfaced initial and negotiated beliefs by reflecting on the following research questions: What patterns and themes in TC backgrounds appear alongside particular beliefs, held early in a required curriculum course in English Language Arts, about the nature of reading and the teaching of reading? What patterns and themes emerge in the post-course reflections of TCs regarding their ideas about reading development and reading instruction. Methods for data collection and analysis included content analysis, attribute and descriptive coding, and thematic analysis of a pre and post-survey and individual interviews. Results of this study demonstrated that early understandings held by TCs were narrow and often misaligned with current understandings of reading development and pedagogy. Post-course reflections, however, indicated negotiated beliefs, adding to previous studies that have suggested methods courses offer opportunities for revised understandings. Implications of this study relate to the importance of required reading pedagogy courses in teacher education programs as one avenue for TCs to surface, examine, and refine their understandings related to reading instruction and development.

Description

Keywords

teacher candidates, pre-service teachers, reading instruction, reading acquisition, evidence-based instruction, self-efficacy, teacher beliefs, teacher education programs

Citation

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Department

Curriculum Studies

Program

Curriculum Studies

Citation

Part Of

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DOI

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