Understandings, beliefs, and reported decision making of first-year teachers from different reading teacher preparation programs
Abstract
In this study we followed 101 preservice teachers through their first year of teaching in order to explore differences in the understandings, beliefs, and decision making of beginning teachers from 3 types of reading teacher preparation programs. 73 of the elementary teachers graduated from programs at 1 of 8 colleges or universities identified by the International Reading Association's National Commission on Excellence in Elementary Teacher Preparation for Reading Instruction as excellent in undergraduate reading teacher preparation. 3 of these recognized programs were reading specialization programs (i.e., a major or minor in reading) housed at universities that also offered a general education program; the remaining 5 featured concentrated experiences and courses in reading that all undergraduates enjoyed. The reported experiences of these 40 reading specialization program teachers and 33 graduates of reading embedded programs were compared with the experiences of 28 graduates from general education programs from the 3 sites that offered a general program. Structured telephone interviews were conducted at 3 points in the beginning teachers' first year of teaching (September, January, June). Inductive data-driven analyses yielded 3 themes—instructional decision making, negotiations, and community—that distinguished the responses of graduates of the IRA recognized programs from those of graduates of general education programs. Graduates of recognized programs tended to speak in clear and thoughtful ways about their instruction, focus on assessing and meeting students' needs, and were more likely to report seeking ongoing support for and development of their own learning. These findings were robust for graduates across the 3 reading specialization sites as well as the 5 other recognized programs, suggesting that the overall quality and features of a program rather than its type or label can make a difference in preservice teacher learning.
Reference
Maloch, B, Flint, A.S., Eldridge, D., Harmon, J., Loven, R., Fine, J.C., Bryant-Shanklin, M., & Martinez, M. (2003). Understandings, beliefs, and reported decision making of first-year teachers from different reading teacher preparation programs. Elementary School Journal, 103(5), 431-458.
Journal
Elementary School Journal
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
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
101
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
Data Analysis Tools
- Inductive analysis
- Thematic analysis
Researcher Positionality
- A combination of their own students and students from other programs
Research Questions
In what ways do graduates of these three types of programs (reading specialization, general education, and reading embedded) talk about their reading instruction and teaching experiences during their first year of teaching?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes
What are the graduates' perceptions of the influence of their teacher education programs on their teaching?
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes