So how do you teach literacy in teacher education?: Literacy/English teacher educators’ goals and pedagogies
Abstract
Given expanding concepts of literacy and evolving communication patterns literacy teacher educators face a daunting task – preparing student teachers for a world where literacy is very complicated and contested. This paper addresses two key questions: What are the elements of a pedagogy of literacy teacher education? What opportunities for learning do literacy/English teacher educators offer to help student teachers understand the changing conception of literacy? For this research 28 literacy/English teacher educators in four countries were interviewed three times. Two overall conclusions are: the need to anchor their course in the concept of literacy as expanding and evolving; and to approach literacy teacher education holistically. Three elements of a pedagogy of literacy teacher education are discussed in this paper; that there is a need to: value and respond to diversity; read, discuss, and analyse a range of texts and genres; create authentic refection activities. These elements are relevant for our increasingly diverse student body and can work dialogically. This paper provides a broad road map for literacy teacher educators who are often faced with conflicting messages from governments and feel tremendous pressure to teach to the test.
Reference
Kosnik, C., Menna, L., Dharamshi, P., & Miyata, C. (2017). So how do you teach literacy in teacher education?: Literacy/English teacher educators' goals and pedagogies. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 40(1), 59.
Journal
Australian Journal of Language & Literacy
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
- Australia
- Canada
- England
- United States
Institutional Context
Certification Level
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
0
Other Participant Data
- Literacy Teacher Educators (LTE)
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- NVivo software
- Open coding
Researcher Positionality
- Outside (not directly invested in the program or operations)
Research Questions
"What are the elements of a pedagogy of literacy teacher education?" (p. 59).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
"What opportunities for learning do LTEs offer to help student teachers understand the changing conception of literacy?" (p. 59).
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes