Novice Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Literacy Instruction Following Science of Reading Legislation

• In Event: Advancing Equity and Effectiveness in Teacher Preparation: Insights on Accreditation, Reflection, and Reform

Abstract

U.S. policy mandates are requiring evidence of teacher preparation in the Science of Reading (SOR) due to low proficiency rates in reading for fourth and eighth graders (NCES, 2022). We examined how our graduates describe their literacy instruction in their first year of teaching. Legislative requirements for teacher preparation included an alignment of all programs to the SOR (GaPSC, 2023) and faculty professional learning, and for K-12, high-quality instructional materials, universal screening, tiered reading intervention plans, and teacher professional learning (Georgia General Assembly, 2023, 2025). Findings show that while teachers could not articulate policy, they recognized its impact on their instruction. Teacher education and school districts need more time to respond and support novice teachers’ implementation of evidence-based literacy practices.

Authors

• Carla Lynn Tanguay, Georgia State University

• Ruchi Bhatnagar, Georgia State University

• Joyce E. Many, Georgia State University