The reading practices of pre-service teachers: On becoming critical consumers
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to catalogue and analyze the reading practices of a group of 36 language arts methods students. The study found that although these preservice language arts teachers considered themselves readers, they engaged in very little self-initiated leisure reading, they spent significantly more time watching movies than reading, they implemented very few of the reading strategies they learned in their content reading course, and they were relatively unaware of the reading strategies they do use. Implications for teacher education are discussed.
Reference
Murnen, T. J. (2005). The reading practices of pre-service teachers: On becoming critical consumers. In B. Schlagal (Ed.), The 25th Yearbook of the American Reading Forum. Retrieved from http://americanreadingforum.org/yearbook/index.shtml
Journal
Yearbook of the American Reading Forum
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
- Reading and language arts methods course
Preservice Participants
- Undergraduates (university based program)
Preservice Sample Size
36
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- lesson plans
- self-assessment
- Survey
Data Analysis Tools
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
Do my secondary language arts majors consider themselves readers?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What are their reading and writing practices, and what patterns emerge from a systematic study of their literacy backgrounds?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
When they read, what strategies do they employ, and what connection do these preservice teachers make between their own reading and the reading practices they will engage in with their students?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
Do preservice teachers actually use the reading strategies they learn in content reading?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What can be done in the language arts methods course to make those connections?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes