Questions They Ask: Considering Teacher-Inquiry Questions Posed by Preservice English Teachers

• In Event: 29.090 - Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: 29.090-21 - Action Research in Teacher Education

Abstract

This session presents research on two levels of practitioner research: (1) first, we examine research questions pre-service teachers (PSTs) pose about their classrooms and (2) second, we study our own practice as PSTs’ teacher educators. We consider: (1) How do English PSTs pose concerns about students in inquiry questions addressed to students during field-placement experiences? (2) How do they express concerns in questions posed about students? (3) What conceptualizations of students are embedded in questions? and (4) How can we improve our practice? Findings reveal a mismatch, with PSTs asking students about personal interests but researching questions about academic challenges. Additionally, PSTs said their relationships with students constituted “researcher bias.” Findings suggest we must better help PSTs understand practitioner research.

Author

• April Simun Salerno, University of Virginia