ERIC Number: ED236549
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1983-Oct-6
Pages: 11
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Former Secondary Teachers in the Elementary School: Are They Prepared to Teach Reading?
Emond, Susie; Stephens, Elaine
With up to one quarter of some school systems' teachers being laid off and reduction-in-force notices routinely given to teachers with even 10 to 15 years seniority, obtaining an additional elementary school endorsement is viewed by many secondary school teachers as a prudent step. To determine secondary school teachers' preparedness in teaching elementary level reading, a study was conducted at Saginaw Valley State College, Michigan, as part of a special pilot program for secondary level teachers seeking elementary level endorsement. First, public and private teacher education institutions in the state were surveyed to determine how they were addressing the problem. Then a literature search was conducted for appropriate instruments to evaluate teacher needs, and, finally, 21 secondary teachers who had enrolled in six semester hours of course work in elementary level reading responded to simulations of typical reading situations. Results indicated (1) little consistency throughout the state on the number of courses, the course content, or the student teaching experience needed to satisfy endorsement requirements; (2) lack of standardized measures to assess needs or to generate information on appropriate programs; and (3) secondary school teacher emphasis on a content-centered approach to reading instruction, despite reading experts' current stress on the reading process. (HOD)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Great Lakes Regional International Reading Association (5th, Springfield, IL, October 5-8, 1983).