Enacting High Leverage Practices in English Methods: The Case of Discussion
Abstract
Though literature discussions are a commonplace feature of English classrooms, we know little about how teachers learn to facilitate classroom talk. Research on methods courses reveals little about how, or if, teachers are prepared to enact the “high leverage” practice of literature discussions. This qualitative study examines an English methods unit on discussion and the practices that the novices later enacted in the field. Sociocultural theory is used to analyze how the novices’ enacted particular features of discussions and how these activities afforded them opportunities to practice the facilitative roles that teachers play. The findings suggest that the novices had difficulty understanding their roles as teachers in student-centered activities, and that teacher educators must curricularize enactments to help novices learn what teachers actually do when enacting high leverage practices like discussions.
Reference
Williamson, P. (2013). Enacting high leverage practices in English methods: The case of discussion. English Education, 46(1), 34.
Journal
English Education
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
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- Literacy methods course
- student teaching placement schools
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
2
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- assignments
- fieldnotes
- Interviews
- Video
- video reflection (stimulated recall)
Data Analysis Tools
- Case study analysis
- coding (non-specific)
- Discourse Analysis (Gee, 1999 framework)
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
- Inside (studying their own practices)
Research Questions
This qualitative study examines an English methods unit on discussion and the practices that the novices later enacted in the field.
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Unknown