Building bridges from pre-service experiences to elementary classroom literacy teaching: Challenges and opportunities
Abstract
This study investigated a) the influences on pre-service and early career teachers' literacy instructional decision-making, and b) how and in what ways transfer from literacy methods courses was evident in teachers' instructional decision-making. Although observations and interviews of ten teachers revealed some influence of teacher preparation, the school's curriculum was far more influential. Teaching fell along a knowledge transfer continuum from a conscious rejection of what was taught in pre-service education to some transfer of knowledge to transformation of knowledge. Findings suggest ways teacher educators can design assignments to maximize transfer to the classroom and support novice teachers.
Reference
Pomerantz, F., & Condie, C. (2017). Building bridges from pre-service experiences to elementary classroom literacy teaching: Challenges and opportunities. Teaching and Teacher Education, 64, 211-221.
Journal
Teaching and Teacher Education
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
- Literacy Education
- Reading
- Writing
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- First-year teachers
- undergraduate preservice teachers
Preservice Sample Size
8
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- Interviews
- Observations
- Transcriptions
Data Analysis Tools
- coding to a prior categories
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
What influences pre-service and early career teachers'
literacy instructional decision making?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
How and in what
ways was transfer from literacy methods courses evident in
teachers’ instructional decision making?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes