Teacher Preparation and Professional Development in Adult Literacy Education

Adult literacy educators enter into teaching positions where they are entrusted with the education of adult learners, often without any prior preparation, and with very little guidance on how to actually teach the learners in their classes. Many “happen upon” jobs teaching adult literacy education, without previously having education as a career goal. Typically, the formal educational training of adult literacy educators is not in adult literacy, nor in the content areas that these instructors are expected to teach. Internationally, there is concern about the quality of educators in adult literacy due to their lack of formal education in adult literacy content areas (reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies) and their lack of teacher qualifications (Lucas, et al, 2005). This study examined the current state of teacher preparation and professional development from the perspective of thirty-seven current teachers, twenty-four from within the federally and state-funded adult literacy education system in Ohio. The study also examined how well current hiring and professional development requirements prepare them for instructional practice and instructional decision-making with adult learners from various cultural and educational backgrounds. The study suggests a model of professional development that can potentially provide teachers with the knowledge and skills they need to feel prepared to deliver instruction to adult literacy students.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

College of Education and Human Services

Grantor dc:publisher

Cleveland State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Stewart, Carmine

Contributors dc:contributor

• Messemer, Jonathan
• Goodell, Joanne

• Adult Education
• Education
• Teacher Education
• Adult literacy
• teacher professional development
• teacher preparation
• professional development model

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1357933502

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:csu1357933502