Learning to teach struggling (and non-struggling) elementary school readers: An analysis of preservice teachers' knowledges

The purpose of this research was to describe elementary school preservice teachers* beliefs, understandings, and instruction of struggling and non-struggling readers as they evolved over time in two university reading education courses with a field component. Using a qualitative content analysis, we analyzed the assignments of 22 preservice teachers across one year of their teacher education program. We found that, throughout the year, preservice teachers improved in their abilities to integrate their personal, practical, and professional knowledges to inform their reading instruction. Their misunderstandings surrounding reading instruction decreased while their abilities to examine reading instruction critically and estimations of their preparedness to teach struggling readers increased. Preservice teachers' views about the value of assessing students' reading proficiency became increasingly more positive as did perceptions about the importance of tutoring struggling readers. Finally, implications are made to suggest how university reading education courses may support the learning and development of future preservice teachers.