Confronting assumptions: Preservice teachers’ beliefs about reading and literature
Abstract
This article describes one group of preservice teachers’ beliefs about reading and literature. What teachers think of these subjects affects how they implement literature-based reading instruction and influences their students’ views of reading and literature. During one part of a language arts education course, 39 students read about and discussed major assumptions of reader response, engaged in self-selected novel studies, and designed literature-based learning units. Students reflected on what they learned at the end of these activities. Through qualitative analysis of students’ reflective writings, I identified eight beliefs students had formulated. More than three-quarters of the class gained insights into the reading process, the interpretative nature of reading, and pleasure reading. Half the students came to view writing as a means of identifying, shaping, and enriching readers’ responses to literature. Finally, more than half the class described features of quality literature and one-third wrote about using literature outside the language arts. This study documents ways teacher educators can help preservice teachers examine assumptions about reading and literature that will influence how they deliver instruction.
Reference
Asselin, M. (2000). Confronting assumptions: Preservice teachers' beliefs about reading and literature. Reading Psychology, 21(1), 31-55.
Journal
Reading Psychology
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
Research Location Context
- elementary language arts class
Preservice Participants
- Post bachs (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
39
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- reflections
- Reflective journals
Data Analysis Tools
- coding (emergent categories)
- Inductive analysis
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
- Inside (studying their own practices)
Research Questions
What did a group of elementary preservice teachers believe about reading and literature at the end of a language arts methods course?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? No
How did instruction focused on reader response theory help preservice teachers develop their beliefs about reading and literature?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? No