Effects of a 6-week co-taught literacy unit on preservice special educators’ literacy-education knowledge
Abstract
For special education preservice teachers to be prepared to assist studentswith disabilities to achieve their maximum potential in literacy, an innovative, co-taught literacy unit was implemented within existing methods courses. The intensive, 6-week unit was created to prepare all candidates in both mild interventions and severe interventions licensure programs tomeet the literacy needs of diverse learners. The curriculum was designed around the National Reading Panels Þve critical compo- nents of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, ßuency, vocabulary, comprehension) in addition to the topics of emergent literacy and writing. Pre- and posttests were administered, revealing a signif- icant growth in participant knowledge related to literacy assessment and instruction. Implications for future efforts to improve literacy outcomes for students with disabilities by improving teachers knowledge and skills related to literacy instruction are discussed.
Reference
Pufpaff, L. A., & Yssel, N. (2010). Effects of a 6-week co-taught literacy unit on preservice special educators' literacy-education knowledge. Psychology in the Schools, 47(5), p.493-500. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pits.20485.
Journal
Psychology in the Schools
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
- Descriptive/Correlational
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
- early childhood to 12th grade special education
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- Courses related to English language arts
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (special education)
Preservice Sample Size
41
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
Can "preservice special education teacher candidates demonstrate gains in knowledge needed for effective literacy instruction across the 6-week unit?" (p.495).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Combination