Use of High-Quality Children’s Literature in Elementary Preservice Preparation and Assignments: Literacy Teacher Educators’ Perceptions

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 2:15 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Curriculum in Context: Literacy, Language, and Place

Abstract

As the Science of Reading and related policy presses are legislated and translated into instructional mandates, increasingly scripted literacy curriculum and enforced fidelity have narrowed conceptualizations of reading, and relatedly, materials for reading instruction. Further, book challenges and bans increasingly constrain the range of books present in classrooms. This convergent mixed-methods survey study reports 77 literacy teacher educators’ experiences and perceptions of their use of high-quality children’s literature in their literacy methods coursework for elementary preservice teachers. The anonymous survey included both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Data analyses included descriptive statistics and constant comparative analysis, which were merged for drawing conclusions. We report how, in the current restrictive climate, literacy teacher educators negotiate and navigate those tensions through coursework.

Authors

• Wendy L. Gardiner, Pacific Lutheran University

• Chelsey Bahlmann Bollinger, James Madison University

• Shuling Yang, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Roya Q. Scales, Western Carolina University

• Ann Van Wig, Eastern Washington University

• Linda D. Smetana, California State University - East Bay

• Catherine M. Kelly, Concordia University - Saint Paul

• W. David Scales, Western Carolina University

• Marjorie W. Rowe, East Carolina University

• Sarah D Reid, Illinois State University

• Stephanie M Lemley, Mississippi State University