Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction
Background: Learning to read is a complex linguistic and cognitive process. Despite the ever-growing body of empirical evidence, the complex knowledge and skills needed to teach all children to read have not been passed to trainee and in-service teachers. Methods: This study examined the delivery an...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Education Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/97 |
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| author | Jennifer Milne Keith J. Topping |
| author_facet | Jennifer Milne Keith J. Topping |
| author_sort | Jennifer Milne |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Learning to read is a complex linguistic and cognitive process. Despite the ever-growing body of empirical evidence, the complex knowledge and skills needed to teach all children to read have not been passed to trainee and in-service teachers. Methods: This study examined the delivery and evaluation of a short, intense literacy elective course, with 9 h of learning for trainee primary/elementary teachers, focused on the key knowledge areas of phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary, text comprehension, and reading assessment. An open questionnaire was administered to 16 trainee teachers: they completed this same questionnaire prior to beginning the elective and again after. The questionnaire focused on the understanding of quality reading instruction, at-risk readers, and provision for struggling readers. The data were analyzed using a qualitative interpretational analysis (QIA). Results: The lowest levels of understanding at the outset were in reading fluency instruction and reading assessment: these areas then showed the greatest knowledge development. Importantly, by post test, participants increased access to evidence-based literature and resources. Feedback demonstrated the high value placed by the group on this learning. Conclusions: This approach improved trainee teachers’ content knowledge to teach reading in a short time. Initial Teacher Education should increase its focus on reading, a crucial foundation skill. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c79a76db2e50436aaef1d203b0d87868 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-c79a76db2e50436aaef1d203b0d878682025-01-24T13:30:35ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-01-011519710.3390/educsci15010097Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading InstructionJennifer Milne0Keith J. Topping1Education Department, School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UKEducation Department, School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UKBackground: Learning to read is a complex linguistic and cognitive process. Despite the ever-growing body of empirical evidence, the complex knowledge and skills needed to teach all children to read have not been passed to trainee and in-service teachers. Methods: This study examined the delivery and evaluation of a short, intense literacy elective course, with 9 h of learning for trainee primary/elementary teachers, focused on the key knowledge areas of phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, fluency, vocabulary, text comprehension, and reading assessment. An open questionnaire was administered to 16 trainee teachers: they completed this same questionnaire prior to beginning the elective and again after. The questionnaire focused on the understanding of quality reading instruction, at-risk readers, and provision for struggling readers. The data were analyzed using a qualitative interpretational analysis (QIA). Results: The lowest levels of understanding at the outset were in reading fluency instruction and reading assessment: these areas then showed the greatest knowledge development. Importantly, by post test, participants increased access to evidence-based literature and resources. Feedback demonstrated the high value placed by the group on this learning. Conclusions: This approach improved trainee teachers’ content knowledge to teach reading in a short time. Initial Teacher Education should increase its focus on reading, a crucial foundation skill.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/97reading instructionteacher educationteacher preparednessevidence-based practiceliteracy |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer Milne Keith J. Topping Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction Education Sciences reading instruction teacher education teacher preparedness evidence-based practice literacy |
| title | Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction |
| title_full | Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction |
| title_fullStr | Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction |
| title_short | Improving Student Teacher Preparedness in Reading Instruction |
| title_sort | improving student teacher preparedness in reading instruction |
| topic | reading instruction teacher education teacher preparedness evidence-based practice literacy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/97 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jennifermilne improvingstudentteacherpreparednessinreadinginstruction AT keithjtopping improvingstudentteacherpreparednessinreadinginstruction |