Preparing novice history teachers to meet students’ literacy needs
Abstract
In spite of calls for increased literacy instruction in secondary content classes, there appears to be little change in practice. One reason for this may be that content area literacy courses inadequately prepared teachers to teach literacy skills specific to their content area. This article describes a program that embeds content area literacy instruction in a methods course taken by preservice history teachers. In this course, teaching candidates explore issues of literacy specific to history classrooms. Candidates’ written reflections, examination responses, and course evaluations reveal the development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to include literacy instruction in history classes.
Reference
Nokes, J. D. (2010). Preparing novice history teachers to meet students’ literacy needs. Reading Psychology, 31(6), 493-523.
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
- field-based methods course
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
119
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- End-of-course evaluations
- Midterm and final evaluations
- Reading Responses
- written reflections/class papers
Data Analysis Tools
- coding (open to axial to selective
Researcher Positionality
- Inside (studying their own practices)
Research Questions
Does this integration of content area literacy instruction into a methods course build the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for new social studies teachers to provide literacy instruction in their classrooms?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes