Wayne M. Linek

Effects of Fluency Development on Urban Second-Grade Readers

Abstract This study was designed to test the efficacy of the fluency development lesson (FDL) as a supplement to the regular reading curriculum in urban second-grade classrooms. The 10-15 min FDL, which was implemented daily for 6 months, resulted in fluency gains for students. In addition, teacher response to the FDL was singularly positive.

Developing Beliefs about Literacy Instruction: A Cross-Case Analysis of Preservice Teachers in Traditional and Field Based Settings

Abstract This paper reports the results of three similar case studies of preservice teachers enrolled in literacy methods courses. In each study, preservice teachers beliefs about literacy were described through the use of multiple data sources before, during, and after the course. The settings of the studies included: a university based course with no field experience, a university‐based course with unsupervised field experience, and a field‐based course. Preservice teachers in each program experienced change. Factors contributing to the changes common to all programs were instructor modeling, course assignments/readings, cognitive dissonance, and reflection. Only students participating in the field‐based program, however, described a greater variety of dissonance factors impacting their beliefs about literacy instruction. Factors unique to the field‐based course include: cultural dissonance, emotional dissonance, experiential dissonance, and political dissonance. Implications support a field‐based model...

The instructional beliefs and decisions of middle and secondary teachers who successfully blend literacy and content

Abstract This study explored the perspectives of nine content area middle and high school teachers who were considered to be “outstanding” teachers of their disciplines and who also used a variety of literacy practices in their instruction according to their principals and supervisors. The teachers were interviewed to explore their instructional beliefs and decision‐making, with specific attention to how these beliefs and decisions impacted their uses of literacy. A cross‐case analysis revealed that all nine teachers had strong beliefs about meeting students’ needs, the value of interpersonal relationships, and participating in lifelong learning. In addition, all of the teachers reported effects of personal experiences, context and/or teaching conditions, and professional development on their instruction. Overall, the teachers described both a strong focus on meeting student needs and a wide variety of uses of literacy within active teaching/learning environments.

The Impact of Shifting From “How Teachers Teach” to “How Children Learn”

Abstract The authors report the results of a 5-year study in which a university worked collaboratively with a public school district to redesign teacher education and professional development, and to raise student achievement. The university sought to field base their teacher education program; the public school district attempted to improve faculty development. The collaborative goal of the university and school district was to improve education in the public school and thereby raise student achievement. In a collaborative effort, university faculty, public school teachers, and university pre-service teachers used shared decision making to enhance the learning of public school students. Thus, the focus of planning for university seminars and public school staff development shifted to fit the needs of public school students. The collaboratives vision was based on education practices that (a) were developmentally appropriate, (b) valued cultural and linguistic diversity, and (c) recognized the social nature of learning. Results suggest that the efforts of the collaboration produced heightened awareness/sensitivity for teachers, improved teacher performance, and substantially increased levels of student achievement in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Secondary Literacy Coaching: A Macedonian Perspective

Vocational high schools in the Republic of Macedonia are making efforts to add content literacy and learning strategies to their curricula through Secondary Education Activity (SEA). SEA is a collaboration of the government of Macedonia, the International Reading Association, the American Institutes for Research, and the United States Agency for International Development to provide schools with updated curricula and to enable teachers to move from lecture-style instruction to instruction that included active learning and links between the school, community, and workplace. As part of this project, educators participated in workshops led by international volunteers and 16 Macedonian classroom teachers selected to become literacy coaches. The trained educators have subsequently led training at their own schools. This article focuses on the perceptions of the 16 new literacy coaches about their own professional development and dilemmas they have had to overcome.

The Influence of Prior Knowledge, University Coursework, and Field Experience on Primary Preservice Teachers' Use of Reading Comprehension Strategies in a Year-Long, Field-Based Teacher Education Program.

This descriptive study employed mixed methods to explore preservice teachers’ initial knowledge and subsequent use of explicitly taught reading comprehension strategies in primary grade classrooms during a year-long, field-based teacher preparation program. Self-Knowledge Rating Surveys, Strategy Multiple-Choice Tests, strategy logs, lesson plans, self-evaluations, mentor teacher/university liaison evaluations, and interviews with university liaisons comprised data sources. Research questions addressed what reading comprehension strategies primary preservice teachers self-reported they knew; what they demonstrated they actually knew via testing and implementation; and how the self-reports, test results, and implementation compared. Results indicated that neither knowledge nor prior exposure to research-based comprehension strategies transferred into teaching when strong external influences that did not support strategy use such as scripted programs, district policies, high stakes testing environments, and public school mentor teachers’ examples of teaching were present.

PARENTS AND TEACHERS WORKINGZ TOGETHER TOWARD LITERACY: VIEWS FROM THE PAST AND GOALS FOR THE FUTURE

We chart the history of American educators’ attitude toward the family‐school relationship, showing how it has changed over time. Recent research showing that the family plays an important role in fostering childrens literacy development is also reviewed.