Inquiring into pre-service content area teachers’ development of literacy practices and pedagogical content knowledge

Abstract

The focus of this qualitative multi-year case study is on preservice teachers’ experiences related to the development of their literacy practices in teaching high school science, math, social studies and other content area courses during their final field placement in a teacher education program. Results indicate tangible indicators of overall growth in participants’ developing pedagogical content knowledge as well differences in the depth of their learning. All participants willingly supported the idea of integrating literacy in content area courses, but their successes were somewhat uneven, and reflective of their evolving pedagogical content knowledge, as they attempted to make literacy practices a regular part of their teaching practices. Our findings should be of interest to teacher education programs and school districts in supporting pre-service and beginning teachers as they develop their practices as teachers of literacy in content areas.

Reference

Mitton Kukner, J. & Murray Orr, A. (2015). Inquiring into pre-service content area teachers' development of literacy practices and pedagogical content knowledge. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 40 (5), 41-60. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n5.3

Journal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Analysis

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

yes

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

Research Approach

Case study

Geographic Setting

Canada

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Secondary

Programatic Focus

Secondary

Research Location Context

Content area literacy course
Secondary school
student teaching placement schools

Preservice Participants

Inservice
undergraduate preservice teachers

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

4 years

Data Sources

Interviews

Data Analysis Tools

Thematic analysis
Thematic discourse analysis

Researcher Positionality

inside (staying their own students)
Inside (studying their own programs)

Research Questions

the evolution of literacy practices of pre-service teachers and graduates of one teacher education program in Atlantic Canada as they begin their teaching careers
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes