Enhancing preservice teachers’ skillsets and professionalism through literacy tutoring experiences

Abstract

This qualitative study explores preservice teachers' experiences in a service-learning literacy tutoring program offered at a university with children in grades one through eight. This study examines briefly the history of literacy centers and service-learning, the specific instructional tutoring methods employed by preservice teachers connected to decoding, comprehension, and vocabulary, and the professional growth of preservice teachers pertaining to communication and teaching with intentionality, as identified in their written reflections. Advantages and disadvantages of tutoring, as perceived by the participants, will be addressed, too. Providing multiple early field opportunities for preservice teachers is essential and doing so within a service-learning literacy tutoring program can be a successful experience for all involved.

Reference

Paquette, K. R., & Laverick, D. M. (2017). Enhancing preservice teachers' skillsets and professionalism through literacy tutoring experiences. Reading Improvement, 54(2), 56-66.

Journal

Reading Improvement

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

Case study
Qualitiative

Geographic Setting

Pennsylvania

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Not stated

Programatic Focus

not stated

Research Location Context

field-based methods course
Reading methods

Preservice Participants

undergraduate preservice teachers

Preservice Sample Size

Duration of Data Collection

Not clear

Data Sources

Observations
reflections
Researcher journals

Data Analysis Tools

NVivo software

Researcher Positionality

Inside (studying their own practices)

Research Questions

What instructional methods did preservice teachers use to provide literacy tutoring?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

What are the perceived advantages and disadvantages of providing tutoring during a reading methods course?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

How do preservice teachers describe their professional growth from this service-learning tutoring project?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes