Learning About and Through Discussions in a Teacher Education Class

• In Event: Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Investigations of Preservice Teacher Identity Development

Abstract

During my first semester of teaching an elementary language arts methods class I had the responsibility of teaching preservice teachers how to plan for and implement a text-based discussion with their students in an elementary school field placement. Yet I had limited knowledge and experience with this essential teaching practice, and this led me to engage in a self-study project. In this paper I will describe my evolving teaching practice and discuss changes in students’ interaction patterns and what students learned about discussion.

Author

• Laura J. Hopkins, Michigan State University