Analyzing writing instruction. Teaching strategies used by prospective and novice teachers
Submitted by:
Helen Winzell
Abstract:
Since writing is a social and academic core skill, prospective L1 teachers need to develop effective teaching practices for teaching writing. However, several studies (Gilbert & Graham 2010; Grisham & Wolsey 2011; Winzell 2018) indicate that teacher education programmes need to better prepare prospective teachers for teaching writing.
In my doctoral thesis (Winzell 2018) I investigate how the knowledge needed for the teaching of writing is developed in teacher education and during the first years of teaching. The overall analysis shows that practices for teaching writing are mainly developed in the teaching profession; in other words, after the exam from the teacher education programme.
In one sub-study, nine novice Swedish teachers were interviewed in September, February and June during their first year in the profession. The research method used is semi structured qualitative interviews, and the theoretical framework used is Lee S. Shulman’s (1987) idea of teachers’ knowledge base and their ability to transform content knowledge into pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This ability can be detected in teachers’ use of teaching strategies. The result shows that the teachers’ use of teaching strategies changed throughout their first year; there was a shift from theory and transmission to practice and discovery. Hence, the teachers’ ability to transform their content knowledge changed.
Is it possible for this change to take place within the teacher education programme? How can prospective teachers be better prepared for teaching writing? The presentation focuses which teaching strategies are used by teachers and prospective teachers respectively in their teaching of writing.
Gilbert, J., & Graham, S. (2010). Teaching Writing to Elementary Students in Grades 4-6: A National Survey. Elementary School Journal, 110(4), 494–518.
Dana L. Grisham & Thomas Devere Wolsey (2011) Writing Instruction for Teacher Candidates: Strengthening a Weak Curricular Area, Literacy Research and Instruction, 50:4, 348-364.
Shulman, Lee S. (1987). Knowledge and Teaching. Foundations of the New Reform. Harvard Educational Review. 57(1), 1-22.
Winzell (2018). Lära för skrivundervisning. En studie om skrivdidaktisk kunskap i ämneslärarutbildningen och läraryrket. Linköping: Linköpings universitet. (diss.)