Learning by doing: preservice teachers as reading tutors

A Systematic Review of the Research on the Knowledge and Skills of Australian Preservice Teachers

“…These findings reflect international research that shows completion of units with specific relevant content can improve PST content knowledge (Jensen et al, 2016). The research on pedagogical content knowledge is less clear, but some of the studies here indicate that practice teaching, analysis of actual teaching, and practice in writing lesson plans and program sequences (Beswick & Muir, 2013;Dawkins et al, 2009;Lloyd & Mukerjee, 2012) may help pedagogical skills and knowledge. The study by Cavanagh et al (2014), even though the skills were judged inadequate based on the results, showed that PSTs can improve practical and essential communication skills when provided with multiple opportunities for practice with feedback.…”

“…Similarly, some areas of pedagogical knowledge such as assessment, reporting, interpretation of large-scale assessments and evaluation were not addressed. In addition, there was only one study where results were based on actual observation of PSTs while teaching students (Dawkins et al, 2009).…”

Early Career Teachers’ Self-Efficacy for Balanced Reading Instruction

“…The intention of this research is not to argue for change in pre-service teacher education at institutions in Australia, as a fairly recent Federal Report achieves this (Department of Education, Science & Training, 2005a) and research is ongoing in this area (Dawkins, Ritz, & Louden, 2009); rather, to determine the best way to raise the efficacy expectations of ECTs for reading instruction. The aim is to move toward improved delivery of professional learning opportunities for ECTs in the area of reading instruction.…”

Reviewing How Preservice Teachers Are Prepared to Teach Reading Processes: What the Literature Suggests and Overlooks

“…Although the tutorial context appeared to be a positive space for developing preservice teachers’ knowledge, several studies also pointed to the challenges preservice teachers encountered when applying their knowledge to practice. Dawkins, Ritz, and Louden (2009a, 2009b) studied the learning of preservice teachers in an 8-week tutorial experience. The tutorials focused on teaching practices related to reading processes that included increasing fluency, measuring progress using running records, providing feedback regarding self-corrections, and story discussion (i.e., comprehension).…”