Donita Massengill Shaw

Promise and Possibility ‐ Hope for Teacher Education: Pre‐service Literacy Instruction Can Have an Impact

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the literacy knowledge, beliefs and self‐efficacy of 52 undergraduate elementary pre‐service teachers prior to and at the conclusion of a reading methods course. The teacher candidates completed the Theoretical Orientation to Reading Profile (TORP, DeFord, 1985), the Teacher Self Efficacy Literacy Scale (TSELS, Johnson & Tschannen‐Moran, 2003) and an instructor‐made questionnaire. Quantitative results indicated the change of beliefs (TORP) and self‐efficacy (TSELS) were significant. Qualitative results indicated the novice teachers’ knowledge aligned with their beliefs. This study is important because our findings contradict the belief that teacher education has not generally been viewed as powerful enough to affect pre‐service teachers’ beliefs and views. Our findings show the teacher education program can be effective in changing student views. Implications for this study are addressed.

Literacy Metaphors of Pre-Service Teachers: Do They Change after Instruction? Which Metaphors Are Stable? How Do They Connect to Theories?.

This paper reports on a study of pre‐service elementary teachers’ metaphors of ‘literacy’ and ‘teaching literacy’ at the commencement and conclusion of a year‐long literacy methods course at a Midwestern American university. Over a three‐year period, a total of 47 participants enrolled in the two‐semester literacy methods course with an embedded practicum. Data were entered in NVivio 7 and analysed for qualitative themes. Results identified six themes of teaching literacy, five of which connect to literacy theories. The majority of the pre‐service teachers maintained their metaphorical belief after a year‐long methods/practicum course. Four metaphors appeared to be stable across time and population. The article provides implications for linking the research reported with contemporary ideas for teaching in teacher preparation programmes.

A Balanced Literacy Initiative for One Suburban School District in the United States

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the teachers employed by this suburban USA school district implemented balanced literacy instruction. The 111 teachers who taught grades K-6 completed surveys and were observed. Quantitative data from the surveys and observations were analyzed through descriptive statistics, nonparametric chi-square tests, and Pearson correlations. One open-ended survey question was analyzed qualitatively. Findings show that the majority of teachers had an acceptable understanding of balanced literacy. There were differences among teachers’ instruction on literacy components and structures across grades. Weak correlations among self-reported and observed practices were found. Implications are discussed as the data are being used for research-informed improvements in the district.

Promoting Professional Student Learning Through Study Groups: A Case Study

The purpose of this research was to analyze how 24 graduate students perceived the study group experience and how study groups fostered a change in their knowledge and teaching of comprehension. Data sources included pre-post questionnaires, text concepts, International Reading Association process form, facilitator logs, and post-survey. Data were analyzed through traditional case study techniques. Results indicated the students favored study groups as an avenue to learning. They also reported changes in their knowledge and teaching of comprehension. Implications for college professors are included.