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Applying the Grossman et al. Theoretical Framework: The Case of Reading by Linda Kucan, Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar, Tracy Busse, Natalie Heisey, Rachel Klingelhofer, Michelle Rimbey & Kristine Schutz — 2011Background/Context: This article describes the application of the theoretical framework proposed by Grossman and her colleagues to a research effort focusing on text-based discussion as a context for comprehension instruction. According to Grossman and her colleagues, a useful way to consider the teaching of complex practices to candidates is to focus on (a) how the practice is represented, (b) how the practice is decomposed, and (c) how candidates are provided with opportunities to approximate the practice. The context for the present study was an Institute of Education Sciences Teacher Quality Grant in which the authors collaborated with 9 teacher educators, who were learning about text-based discussion as a context for comprehension instruction, to design, implement, and revise modules to support candidates in comprehension methods courses. The modules provided teacher educators with representations of text-based discussions in the form of video excerpts and lesson plans. The modules also provided structured activities to decompose the practice of text-based discussions, for example, by focusing on analyzing the texts to be discussed and crafting questions to engage students in understanding the important ideas in the text. Finally, the modules provided opportunities for candidates to approximate the practice of enacting text-based discussions by using a collaboratively developed teaching plan for a common text.
Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: The focus of the study was to collect data on the module implementation in the form of assessments of candidate learning and evaluation of module content and use by teacher educators in order to develop resources that would benefit a wider audience of teacher educators and their students.
Research Design: The study is an example of design-based research focused on the iterative development and study of the modules in order to support teacher educators to prepare candidates to enact text-based discussions in the context of literacy methods courses. The study was conducted over the course of 3 years, with a 4th year to prepare the resources for dissemination.
Conclusions/Recommendations: Our efforts to design and revise the modules were greatly influenced by the framework suggested by Grossman and her colleagues. The framework provided a way to represent and decompose the module content and to maintain our focus on the importance of providing opportunities for approximating the complex practice of text-based discussion. To view the full-text for this article you must be signed-in with the appropropriate membership. Please review your options below:
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- Linda Kucan
University of Pittsburgh LINDA KUCAN is an associate professor and the reading education program coordinator in the Department of Instruction and Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. She studies learning from text and vocabulary instruction and has a special interest in developing resources to address those topics in teacher education. She coauthored, with Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar, a chapter in the Handbook of Reading Research, Volume IV.
- Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar
University of Michigan ANNEMARIE SULLIVAN PALINCSAR is the Jean and Charles Walgreen Jr. Chair of Reading and Literacy and a teacher educator in educational studies at the University of Michigan. She studies instruction in the elementary grades, with a particular interest in supporting students to learn from text and to learn from guided inquiry science experiences. She coauthored, with Linda Kucan, a chapter in the Handbook of Reading Research, Volume IV.
- Tracy Busse
University of Pittsburgh TRACY BUSSE is a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh. She is a former reading specialist and is interested in the study of struggling readers. She is also interested in training teachers to support developing readers as they read and comprehend text.
- Natalie Heisey
Geneva College NATALIE HEISEY is an assistant professor in the Education Department at Geneva College. Her research interests include literacy instruction in the elementary grades, content literacy, and using assessment data to inform instruction. She coauthored, with Linda Kucan, a Reading Teacher article about text-based discussion with informational trade books.
- Rachel Klingelhofer
University of Michigan RACHEL KLINGELHOFER is a doctoral candidate in literacy, language, and culture at the University of Michigan School of Education. As a graduate research assistant, she has worked on a grant exploring the application of functional grammar analysis to literacy instruction in bilingual settings and the teacher education required to support such work. Her research interests include literacy instruction at the elementary level, with a focus on methods for supporting comprehension and writing about text.
- Michelle Rimbey
University of Pittsburgh MICHELLE RIMBEY is a doctoral student in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include teacher learning, professional development, and reading instruction in the elementary grades. Her dissertation research focuses on the design and implementation of professional development in the area of vocabulary instruction.
- Kristine Schutz
University of Michigan KRISTINE SCHUTZ is currently a doctoral candidate in literacy, language, and culture at the University of Michigan School of Education. As a graduate research assistant, she has supported the study and development of modules to support teacher educators in teaching about reading comprehension instruction. Her research interests include elementary literacy instruction with emphasis on the teaching of writing, as well as the study and design of practice-focused teacher education.
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