(Re)conceptualizing Content Area Literacy: Encouraging pre-service and in-service teachers to Explore Interdisciplinary Instruction
Abstract
Study begins on page 144. From the introduction: This study sought to investigate how pre- and in-service teachers responded when we introduced interdisciplinary unit planning in our respective university content area literacy methods courses. Two essential notions from the content area and adolescent literacy research inspired us in this endeavor. First, Morse (2008) asserts that literacy strategies need to be taught in meaningful ways across the disciplines in our secondary schools. Second, adolescents deserve and need engaging, high-interest, critical, authentic and inter-textual curriculum coupled with multiple literacy opportunities (Moore, Bean, Birdyshaw, & Rycik, 1999). As teacher educators in secondary literacy education, we concur with these notions and think one solution to achieve this goal is the implementation of interdisciplinary unit planning in secondary education (Daniels & Zemelman, 2004).
Reference
Frambaugh-Kritzer, C., Stolle, E.P. (2011). (Re)conceptualizing Content Area Literacy: Encouraging pre-service and in-service teachers to Explore Interdisciplinary Instruction. In Dunston, P. J., Gambrell, L. B., Headley, K., Fullerton, S. K., Stecker, P. M., Gillis, V. R, & Bates, C. C. (Eds.), 60th Literacy Research Association Yearbook. (pp. 144-155). Oak Creek, WI: Literacy Research Association Conference.
Journal
Yearbook of the National Reading Conference
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
yes
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
- midwest
- Southwestern United States
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
- interdisciplinary liteacy
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
45
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- email correspondence
- fieldnotes
- Observations
- Reading Responses
- retrospective notes
- Survey
- University coursework assignment (e.g. writing/project done for a grade)
Data Analysis Tools
- coding (open to axial to selective
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
"How does interdisciplinary
unit planning help pre- and in-service teachers understand content area literacy?" (this was the second of three research questions and the only on addressed in this report)
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes