ERIC Number: ED612239
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Preparing Preservice Teachers to Be Agents of Social Justice: Examining the Effectiveness of Using Literature Circles in a Reading Methods Course
Davis, Cheron H.; Bush, Krystal
Grantee Submission, Florida Journal of Educational Research v59 n1 p283-298 2021
This study, rooted in the evaluation of a reading methods course, sought to determine the implications for preservice teachers (PSTs) who participated in literature circles that intentionally used multicultural literature to discuss social justice issues. Using an interpretative mixed-methods approach, we collected quantitative surveys and conducted individual interviews to determine the participants' perception of the effects that the implementation method (literature circles) and the curriculum content (multicultural texts) had on their knowledge and professional efficacy. The findings of this study suggest that the course, with an embedded literature circle component, is an essential aspect of the broader teacher development program. Encouraging social activism, promoting recreational reading, and improving PSTs' ability to facilitate literary discussions around issues of social justice increases their confidence and personal efficacy. Further longitudinal research should be conducted to determine the direct effects this would have on their ability to create change agents in their future classrooms.
Descriptors: Preservice Teachers, Preservice Teacher Education, Social Justice, Reading Instruction, Methods Courses, Group Activities, Knowledge Level, Activism, Recreational Reading, Self Efficacy, Group Discussion, Identification (Psychology), Cultural Awareness, Minority Groups, Reading Materials, Textbooks, Textbook Content, Student Diversity, Black Colleges, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Student Attitudes, Program Effectiveness, Cultural Pluralism
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305B170017
Author Affiliations: N/A