Problem Statement

In an undergraduate teacher preparation program a student receives instruction on ways to teach students.  They receive instruction on how to teach and what to teach.  But are they being properly trained in teaching reading to elementary age students?

Research Problem

As pre-service teachers are going through education programs they are told that they will be highly qualified to teach whichever desired subject.  The information they have been taught will be sufficient to teach anything to anybody.  That assumption puts pre-service teachers at a disadvantage.  According to McCombes-Tolis and Spear-Swearling (2011) a study performed by the National Council on Teacher Quality indicated that pre-service teachers at a selection of the nation’s top rated schools of education were inadequately prepared to teach the essential components of effective reading instruction.

Background and Justification

In response to NCLB states have made teaching and learning to read a priority. In a study that was conducted by the NCTQ, syllabi of reading instruction programs were compared to components put forth by the NRP and were found to have “serious concerns about the degree to which pre-service teachers were exposed to the science of reading, both through course and textbook content (pg. 3).”

There is a realization that there is a disconnect between the teacher preparation process and the actual subject matter teaching. According to Gallant and Shwartz (2011) we do not yet know how to best teach teachers of reading, but that research on the process and context of teachers learning in both college and school classrooms is beginning to inform our work as teacher educators. In an article written by Ziegler and McCallum (2007) the message seems to be that ongoing systematic professional development, guided by standardized tools is sufficient preparation for teaching educators how to teach reading.

Deficiencies in the Evidence

In many sources that have been discovered through research the focus has primarily been on RTI programs and reading disorders.  While these are very real problems the look at how teachers are trained and if the training is effective is a very real angle.  There has been a lack of information that discusses the feelings of pre-service and novice teachers and the preparation that they have received. 

Audience

The intended recipients of this information would be curriculum development personnel at U.S. Universities that have teacher education programs.  By having this information it would allow for the communication between US education policy makers and universities.  It would also be available to instructors of reading to be able to read reflect and alter their practices.

References

Gallant, P., & Schwartz, R. (2010). Examining the nature of expertise in reading instruction. Literacy Research Instruction, 49(1), 1-19.

McCombes-Tollis, J., & Spear-Swerling, L. (2011). The preparation of preservice elementary education in understanding and applying the terms, concepts, and practices associated with response to intervention in early reading contexts. Journal of School Leadership, 21(3), 89-360.

Ziegler, M., McCallum, R. S., & Bell, S. M. (2007). Adult Educators in the United States: Who are they and what do they know about teaching reading. Perspectives on Language and Literacy, 33(4), 50-53.