Teachers as readers in the 21st Century (original) (raw)
Related papers
Journal of Literary Education, 2021
Research into in-service teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature indicates there is a powerfully symbiotic relationship between teachers’ perceptions and projections of themselves as readers and students’ engagement with reading as a pleasurable activity (Commeyras et al., 2003; Cremin et al 2014). Less is known about pre-service teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature or their attitudes towards reading and the Scottish context is unexplored in this regard. Inspired by and aligned with the work of Cremin et al. (2008) with in-service primary teachers in England, this project investigated the personal reading habits of more than 150 student teachers over a two-year period by capturing snapshots of their knowledge of children’s literature and perceptions of themselves as not only readers, but as readers of children’s literature, at various stages of their initial teacher education. Framed by understandings of literacy practices as socially and locally constructed (Barton & Hamilton, 1998) and of literate identities as fluid, contingent and plural (Moje et al., 2009), this paper also outlines how project findings linked to knowledge of texts for children and reader identity have informed the teaching and learning of children’s literature at university level.
Exploring teachers' knowledge of children's literature
Cambridge Journal of Education, 2008
In the context of the current debate about teaching reading, research to ascertain primary teachers' personal and professional reading practices was undertaken. The study explored teachers' reading habits and preferences, investigated their knowledge of children's literature, and documented their reported use of such texts and involvement with library services.
and other research outputs Teachers as readers : building communities of readers
2012
Given the narrow scope of primary teachers’ knowledge and use of children’s literature identified in Phase I of Teachers as Readers (2006-7), the core goal of the Phase II project, was to improve teachers’ knowledge and experience of such literature in order to help them increase children's motivation and enthusiasm for reading, especially those less successful in literacy. The year long project, Teachers as Readers: Building Communities of Readers, which was undertaken in five Local Authorities in England, also sought to build new relationships with parents and families and to explore the concept of a Reading Teacher: a teacher who reads and a reader who teaches (Commeyras et al., 2004). The research design was multi-layered; involving data collection at individual, school and LA levels, and employing a range of quantitative and qualitative data research methods and tools. This paper provides an overview of the research and highlights the challenges encountered and the insights...
Learning and Teaching Childrens Literature in Europe-Final Report
um.es
This project is a two-year investigation into the learning and teaching of children's literature in Europe, undertaken by the University of the West of England (UK), the University of Akureyri (Iceland), Gazi University (Turkey) and the University of Murcia (Spain), with funding from the Comenius sub-programme of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme. The aim was to gather, analyse and disseminate information about the current role of children's literature in schools and in children's lives in Europe, focusing particularly on the 8-11 age group. This involved a comparison of reading habits, learning and teaching methods, and the cultural place of reading. The data for the project was gathered largely by means of surveys administered to pupils and teachers, and by focus group interviews conducted with both groups.
Children's Books and Literature from the Perspectives of Preschool and Primary Teachers
Journal of Educational and Social Research, 2020
This paper seeks to understand how a group of preschool and primary teachers perceive the type of use they carry out of children’s literature. Thus, it analyses the type of books in the classrooms and the underlying criteria for their choice, the frequency of the activities implemented within this scope and the organisation of the educational environment for the promotion of reading skills. In terms of the methodology used, this research is based on the collection of information through a questionnaire survey, completed by 24 preschool teachers and 53 primary teachers of S. Miguel Island, The Azores, Portugal. The data collected were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data allow concluding that, although all respondents value children’s literature, there are differences between the way preschool and primary teachers use it, alerting to the need for deeper reflection on the pedagogical practices implemented.
2008
Given the narrow scope of primary teachers’ knowledge and use of children’s literature identified in Phase I of Teachers as Readers (2006-7), the core goal of the Phase II project, was to improve teachers’ knowledge and experience of such literature in order to help them increase children's motivation and enthusiasm for reading, especially those less successful in literacy. The year long project, Teachers as Readers: Building Communities of Readers, which was undertaken in five Local Authorities in England, also sought to build new relationships with parents and families and to explore the concept of a Reading Teacher: a teacher who reads and a reader who teaches (Commeyras et al., 2004). The research design was multi-layered; involving data collection at individual, school and LA levels, and employing a range of quantitative and qualitative data research methods and tools. This paper provides an overview of the research and highlights the challenges encountered and the insights...
Teachers as readers: building communities of readers
Literacy, 2009
Abstract In the light of wide recognition that the traffic between home and school is traditionally one-way, this paper reports on a year-long project which was deliberately counter-cultural and involved teachers researching children’s everyday literacy practices and ‘funds of knowledge’ (Gonza´lez et al., 2005). The project sought to explore whether and in what ways teachers, positioned as researchers, developed new understandings which challenged their assumptions about children and families, and the extent to which any new understandings about the learners’ literacy lives had consequences with regard to the curriculum and home-school relations. Eighteen primary teachers from ten schools in five local authorities in England were involved; this article focuses on two of the practitioners’ experiences. Drawing on data from interviews, transcripts of their Learner Visits to homes, data analysis meetings with the teachers and the practitioners’ portfolios, it is argued that the project challenged teachers’ perceptions and beliefs about children and families, prompting dispositional shifts and new understandings of difference and diversity. It also reveals that creating responsive curricula that connect to the lived social realities of the children represented a considerable professional challenge. The paper highlights the affordances of collaborative research partnerships, and suggests that considerable time, space and support is needed in order for teachers to appreciate and understand children’s and families’ funds of knowledge and blur the boundaries between home and school. Keywords: teachers as researchers, diversity, funds of knowledge, home-school relations; everyday literacy lives.