Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Curriculum and Instruction

Major Professor

Patricia Davis-Wiley

Committee Members

Ted Hipple, Norma Mertz, Russel Hirst

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the beliefs of English educators and leaders in secondary school English about the English methods courses required of pre-service teachers of secondary school English. More specifically, the researcher sought answers to the following research questions: (a) What do English educators consider the purpose of the English methods course to be? (b) What do leaders in secondary school English consider the purpose of the English methods course to be? What do English educators consider to be the most important topics for study in the English methods course? (d) What do leaders in secondary school English consider to be the most important topics for study in the English methods course? (e)

What teaching strategies do English educators consider to be the most effective for the teaching of secondary school English. (f) What teaching strategies do leaders in secondary school English consider to be the most effective for the teaching of secondary school English? (g) What is the comparison between the responses of English educators and leaders in secondary school English concerning the emphasis that should be given to each of the given topics in the English methods course? (h) What is the comparison between the responses of English educators and leaders in secondary school English concerning the effectiveness of given teaching strategies in the secondary school English class?

In larger teacher education programs, which offer specialized training for pre- service teachers of the English language arts, the subject-specific methods course in the teaching of English plays an integral part in preparing novice English teachers. While there have been occasional attempts by English educators to describe the status of this course, there have been few empirical studies specifically addressing the English methods course. In addition, it appears that few studies have examined the perceptions of in-service secondary English teachers concerning what should be taught in the English methods course.

Therefore, in an effort to examine the English methods course, a questionnaire was developed by the researcher and sent to all members of the 1996-97 Executive Committees and other selected committee chairs of the Conference on English Leadership (CEL) and the Conference on English Education (CEE) of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The four-part questionnaire addressed the demographic backgrounds of the participants, as well as asked for their views regarding the purpose and course content of the English methods course and the effectiveness of selected teaching strategies in the secondary school English classroom.

The findings of the research indicated both differences and commonalties among the beliefs and perceptions of leaders in secondary school English and English educators regarding the English methods course required of pre-service teachers of secondary school English. English educators and leaders in secondary school English generally concurred regarding the emphasis that should be placed on given topics in the English methods course, as well as the effectiveness of selected teaching strategies. However, there were some semantic differences found in the statements of the purpose of the English methods course given by respondents from each group. The following are some specific conclusions, which answer the eight research questions posed in this study:

1. English educators considered the purpose of the English methods course to be to provide students with the theoretical and philosophical background needed to prepare them for future classroom instruction. In addition, CEE respondents indicated that the English methods course should provide students with an overview of instructional strategies and teaching methods related to reading and writing, in order to enable them to begin teaching and reflecting on their practice.

2. Leaders in secondary school English considered the purpose of the English methods course to be to prepare pre-service teachers for the realities of the secondary school English classroom by providing them with the theoretical background they need to formulate their own theories of teaching and learning. CEL respondents felt that in an English methods course, students must also be given meaningful opportunities to transform the theories they learn about into practice, in order to develop a repertoire of teaching strategies that may be effectively used to teach the English language arts to real students, in real classrooms.

3. English educators indicated that as a whole, topics related to the content area "Composition" required the most emphasis in the English methods course. In addition, CEE respondents rated "Strategies for Teaching Literature," "Reflective Teaching," and "The Writing Process" as the three topics requiring the heaviest emphasis in the English methods course.

4. Leaders in secondary school English agreed that topics related to the content area "Composition" required the heaviest emphasis in the English methods course. CEL respondents also rated "Discussion Skills," "Relationship Between Language Skills and Writing," and "The Writing Process" as deserving heavy emphasis in the English methods course.

5. English educators considered "Class Discussion" and "Group / Individual Projects" to be the most effective teaching strategies for use in the secondary school English class. CEE respondents considered "Lecture" to be ineffective.

6. Leaders in secondary school English rated "Class Discussion" and "Group and Individual Projects" as being the most effective teaching strategies for use in the secondary school English class. CEL respondents considered "Lecture" to be an ineffective strategy for use in the teaching of the secondary school English class.

7. While there were some semantic and ideological differences found in the stated purposes of the English methods course, English educators and Leaders in Secondary English considered many of the same topics as requiring heavy emphasis in the English methods course. Both groups indicated that topics related to the content area "Composition" required the heaviest emphasis. Likewise, an examination of the 10 highest ranked topics revealed that English educators and leaders in secondary school English ranked seven of the same topics as being most important.

8. When rating nine given teaching strategies for their perceived effectiveness in the secondary school English class, English educators and leaders in secondary school English were largely in agreement. Respondents from both groups concurred that "Group and Individual Projects" and "Class Discussion" were the most effective teaching strategies in secondary school English classes; moreover, English educators and leaders in secondary school English were in agreement as to the ineffectiveness of lecturing.

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