An analysis of the literacy beliefs and practices of faculty and graduates from a preservice English teacher education program
type: CreativeWork
description: The following qualitative study explored changes in literacy beliefs and practices and changes in messages about literacy in Secondary English teacher education courses in the past 15 years. Four distinct groups affiliated with the University of the Midwest (methods course instructors, English instructors, recently graduated teachers, and teachers graduated after 7 years) participated in this study. Data sources included individual in-depth interviews and written documents from the twelve participants, including syllabi, English and methods course assignments, and blogs and websites. A conceptual framework coined “permeable literacy continuum,” which included ideas from five influential literacy paradigms, was the basis for data analysis. This analytical framework responded to a need in the literacy research for more comprehensive frameworks that do not equate literacy to reading or writing. Findings showed that participants’ literacy beliefs and practices have evolved to include ideas such as critical thinking, the use of multiple genres and forms of writing expression, and the integration of technology. However, the participants argued that working on formal aspects of language, including style and grammar are still pressing needs that the current context is ignoring. These lessons challenge traditional positions that have argued that literacy practices may become stagnant over time. These findings also challenge views of literacy and technology that create distinctions such as “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” This study identified a dichotomy between conceptions of reading and views of writing. Whereas participants admitted that their own written practices had changed in varying (and sometimes radical) ways, they found little variation in the evolution of reading practices. This finding is an invitation to reconceptualize the research on literacy and English education, which has historically favored reading, to encompass the wider range of changes taki…
abstract: The following qualitative study explored changes in literacy beliefs and practices and changes in messages about literacy in Secondary English teacher education courses in the past 15 years. Four distinct groups affiliated with the University of the Midwest (methods course instructors, English instructors, recently graduated teachers, and teachers graduated after 7 years) participated in this study. Data sources included individual in-depth interviews and written documents from the twelve participants, including syllabi, English and methods course assignments, and blogs and websites. A conceptual framework coined “permeable literacy continuum,” which included ideas from five influential literacy paradigms, was the basis for data analysis. This analytical framework responded to a need in the literacy research for more comprehensive frameworks that do not equate literacy to reading or writing. Findings showed that participants’ literacy beliefs and practices have evolved to include ideas such as critical thinking, the use of multiple genres and forms of writing expression, and the integration of technology. However, the participants argued that working on formal aspects of language, including style and grammar are still pressing needs that the current context is ignoring. These lessons challenge traditional positions that have argued that literacy practices may become stagnant over time. These findings also challenge views of literacy and technology that create distinctions such as “digital natives” and “digital immigrants.” This study identified a dichotomy between conceptions of reading and views of writing. Whereas participants admitted that their own written practices had changed in varying (and sometimes radical) ways, they found little variation in the evolution of reading practices. This finding is an invitation to reconceptualize the research on literacy and English education, which has historically favored reading, to encompass the wider range of changes taki…
author: Mora Velez, Raúl A.
language: en
keywords: Literacy beliefs and practices, English education, methods courses, evolution of practices
date published: 2010-08-20T17:59:05Z
date modified: 2026-07-22T22:25:09Z
provider: University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/2142/16829