Making sense of multiple literacies: Exploring pre‐service content area teachers’ understandings and applications

Abstract

Over the past decade, numerous literacy researchers have investigated the multiple literacies of adolescents. Connecting with adolescents' multiple literacies, including digital texts and high interest print-based texts, holds promise as a way to build bridges to subject area content and academic literacies. Although pre-service content area teachers are required to take a content area literacy course in most US states, little has been written about whether those courses include a focus on multiple literacies or what pre-service teachers understand after learning about multiple literacies. In this study, the author analyzes student work from three semesters of a content area literacy course to find out what the students learned about multiple literacies and how they applied the concept of multiple literacies to developing content area lessons.

Reference

Sheridan‐Thomas, H. (2007). Making sense of multiple literacies: Exploring pre‐service content area teachers' understandings and applications. Reading Research and Instruction, 46(2), 121-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388070709558464

Journal

Reading Research and Instruction

Analysis

Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?

Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?

Research Approach

Action Research
Qualitiative

Geographic Setting

northeast US

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Secondary

Programatic Focus

Secondary

Research Location Context

University

Preservice Participants

Masters of Arts in Teaching

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

3 semesters

Data Sources

student reflections
student work
written reflections/class papers
written responses

Data Analysis Tools

coding (non-specific)
Inductive analysis

Researcher Positionality

inside (staying their own students)

Research Questions

What understandings about multiple literacies do students construct as they participate in Adolescent Learners and Literacies in the Content Areas?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

How do students apply their understanding of multiple literacies to working with adolescents and designing content area teaching materials?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes