Making sense of multiple literacies: Exploring pre‐service content area teachers’ understandings and applications
Abstract
Over the past decade, numerous literacy researchers have investigated the multiple literacies of adolescents. Connecting with adolescents' multiple literacies, including digital texts and high interest print-based texts, holds promise as a way to build bridges to subject area content and academic literacies. Although pre-service content area teachers are required to take a content area literacy course in most US states, little has been written about whether those courses include a focus on multiple literacies or what pre-service teachers understand after learning about multiple literacies. In this study, the author analyzes student work from three semesters of a content area literacy course to find out what the students learned about multiple literacies and how they applied the concept of multiple literacies to developing content area lessons.
Reference
Sheridan‐Thomas, H. (2007). Making sense of multiple literacies: Exploring pre‐service content area teachers' understandings and applications. Reading Research and Instruction, 46(2), 121-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388070709558464
Journal
Reading Research and Instruction
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
- Action Research
- Qualitiative
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
- Masters of Arts in Teaching
Preservice Sample Size
64
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- student reflections
- student work
- written reflections/class papers
- written responses
Data Analysis Tools
- coding (non-specific)
- Inductive analysis
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
What understandings about multiple literacies do students
construct as they participate in Adolescent Learners and Literacies
in the Content Areas?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
How do students apply their understanding of multiple literacies to
working with adolescents and designing content area teaching
materials?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes