Abstract
Teachers’ assumptions about teaching and learning have a critical impact on pedagogical practices. This study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of early childhood educators regarding children’s acquisition of literacy in an attempt to gain a picture of current instructional practices. Prekindergarten through second grade teachers (n = 76) responded to the Literacy Acquisition Perception Profile. Responses on the reading readiness and emergent literacy subscales served as the dependent variables in a series of ANOVAs conducted with educational level, teaching assignment, and teaching experience as the independent variables. Results revealed a statistically significant difference [F(4, 65) = 3.31, p = .03, η2 = .17] between the teachers who had 6–10 years of experience and more than 21 years, with teachers who had 6–10 years clearly ascribing to reading readiness as the preferred way of teaching reading over teachers with 21+ years. This finding may be attributed to many teachers with more than 21 years experience having received initial teacher training during the late 1980s and early 1990s when an emergent literacy perspective, a departure from the traditional view of reading readiness, was the predominant view. It is posited that differentiated instruction rather than the application of a single instructional approach fully grounded in a particular perception may be the best approach to facilitating young children’s literacy acquisition.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Momani, I. A., Ihmeideh, F. M., & Naba’h, A. M. A. (2010). Teaching reading in the early years: Exploring home and kindergarten relationships. Early Child Development & Care, 180(6), 767–785.
Barnett, W. S. (1998). Long-term effects on cognitive development and school success. In W. S. Barnett & S. S. Boocock (Eds.), Early care and education for children in poverty: Promise, programs, and long-term results (pp. 11–44). Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Berninger, V. W., Vermeulen, K., Abbott, R. D., McCutchen, D., Cotton, S., Cude, J., et al. (2003). Comparison of three approaches to supplementary reading instruction for low-achieving second grade readers. Language, Speech & Hearing Services in Schools, 34(2), 101. doi:10.1044/0161-1461(2003/009.
Blank, J. (2012). Fostering language and literacy learning: Strategies to support the many ways children communicate. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 40(1), 3–11.
Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. J. (2005). Uniquely preschool. Educational Leadership, 63(1), 44–47.
Bondy, E. (1990). Seeing it their way: What children’s definitions of reading tell us about improving education. Journal of Teacher Education, 41(4), 33–45. doi:10.1177/002248719004100505.
Bredekamp, S. (1987). Developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs serving children birth through age 8. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Clay, M. M. (1966). Emergent reading behaviors. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Clay, M. M. (1975). What did I write?. Auckland: Heinemann.
Clay, M. M., & Cazden, C. B. (1990). A Vygotskian interpretation of reading recovery tutoring. In L. Moll (Ed.), Vygotsky and education: Instructional implications and applications of sociohistorical psychology (pp. 206–222). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs serving children birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Crawford, P. A. (1995). Early literacy: Emerging perspectives. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 10(1), 71–86. doi:10.1080/02568549509594689.
Creswell, W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approach (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
DeFord, D. E. (1985). Validating the construct of theoretical orientation to reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 20(3), 351–367.
Downing, J., & Thackray, D. (1971). Reading readiness: A UKRA teaching of reading monograph. London: University of London Press Ltd.
Durkin, D. (1970). A language arts program for pre-first-grade children: Two year achievement report. Reading Research Quarterly, 5(4), 534–565.
Durkin, D. (1974). A six year study of children who learned to read in school at the age of four. Reading Research Quarterly, 10(1), 9–61.
Gallas, K. (1994). The languages of learning: How children talk, write, dance, draw, and sing their understanding of the world. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gamse, B. C., Bloom, H. S., & Kemple, J. J. (2008). Reading first impact study: Interim report. NCEE 2008-4016. Institute of Education Sciences, U. S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pdf/20084016.pdf.
Greenberg, J., McKee, A., & Walsh, K. (2013). Teacher prep review: A review of the nation’s teacher preparation programs. National Council on Teacher Quality. Retrieved from http://www.nctq.org/dmsView/Teacher_Prep_Review_2013_Report.
Harris, A. J., & Sipary, E. R. (1985). How to increase reading ability: A guide to developmental and remedial methods. New York, NY: Longman.
Helm, J. H., & Katz, L. (2010). Young investigators: The project approach in the early years. New York: Teachers College Press.
Jeynes, W. H. (2006). Standardized tests and Froebel’s original kindergarten model. Teachers College Record, 108(10), 1937–1959.
Jin, L. (2011). Improving response rates in web surveys with default setting. International Journal of Market Research, 53(1), 75–94. doi:10.2501/IJMR-53-1-075-094.
Kim, M. S. (2011). Play, drawing and writing: A case study of Korean-Canadian young children. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 19(4), 483–500.
Lynch, J. (2009). Preschool teachers’ beliefs about children’s print literacy development. Early Years: Journal of International Research & Development, 29(2), 191–203.
Manfreda, K. L., Bosnjak, M., Berzelak, J., Hass, I., & Vehovar, V. (2008). Web surveys versus other survey modes: A meta-analysis comparing response rate. International Journal of Market Research, 50(1), 79–104.
Mason, J. M. (1977). Reading readiness: A definition and skills hierarchy from preschoolers’ developing concepts of print. Technical Report No. 59. The Center for the Study of Reading. Retrieved from https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/17999/ctrstreadtechrepv01977i00059_opt.pdf?sequence=1.
Massaro, D. W. (2012). Acquiring literacy naturally behavioral science and technology could empower preschool children to learn to read naturally without instruction. American Scientist, 100(4), 324–333.
McLachlan-Smith, C. J., & St. George, A. M. (2000). Children learn by doing: Teacher’s beliefs about learning, teaching and literacy in New Zealand kindergartens. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 55(1), 37–47.
McMahon, R., Richmond, M., & Reeves-Kazelskis, C. (1998). Relationships between kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of literacy acquisition and children’s literacy involvement and classroom materials. Journal of Educational Research, 91(3), 173–182.
Miller, L., & Paige-Smith, A. (2004). Practitioners’ beliefs and children’s experiences of literacy in four early years settings. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development, 24(2), 121–133.
Morrow, L. M. (2012). Early childhood literacy: Which skills are critical to develop for later learning? Reading Today, 30(2), 38–39.
Morrow, L. M., & Dougherty, S. (2011). Early literacy development: Merging perspectives influencing practice. Journal of Reading Education, 36(3), 5–11.
Narey, M. (Ed.). (2009). Making meaning: Constructing multimodal perspectives of language, literacy, and learning through arts-based early childhood education. New York: Springer.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the national reading panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction (NIH Publication No. 00-4769). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/nrp/pages/smallbook.aspx.
Nitecki, E., & Chung, M. (2013). What is not covered by the standards: How to support emergent literacy in preschool classrooms. Language and Literacy Spectrum, 23, 46–56.
Philips, R. H. (2012). Chicksaw, Satsuma school officials: Today is a day for the history books. Press-Register. Retrieved from http://blog.al.com/live/2012/04/chickasaw_satsuma_school_offic.html.
Piaget, J. (1983). Piaget’s theory. In P. H. Mussen & W. Kessen (Eds.), Handbook of child psychology: Volume 1. History, theory, and methods (pp. 103–126). New York: Wiley.
Shaughnessy, A., & Sanger, D. (2005). Kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of language and literacy development, speech-language pathologists, and language interventions. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 26(2), 67–84.
Sippola, A. E. (1994). Literacy education in kindergarten classrooms. Reading Horizons, 35(1), 52–61.
Straus, V. (2013). Literacy experts say reformers reviving ‘reading wars.’ Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/08/13/are-reformers-reviving-reading-wars/.
House of Commons Education and Skills Committee. (2005). Teaching children to read. Eighth report of session 2004–05. London: The Stationery Office Limited. Retrieved from http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmeduski/121/121.pdf .
Tullis, P. (2011). Preschool tests take time away from play—and learning. Scientific American Mind, 22(6), 26–29.
U. S. Department of Education. (2002). No child left behind: A desk reference. Office of Under Secretary. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/account/nclbreference/reference.pdf.
van Kleeck, A., & Schuele, C. M. (2010). Historical perspectives on literacy in early childhood. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19(4), 341–355.
Vygotsky, L. (1962/1988). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Walsh, K. (2011). Teacher quality initiative. President; National Council on Teacher Quality. FDCH Congressional Testimony.
Wien, C. A. (2004). Negotiating standards in the primary class-room: The teacher’s dilemma. New York: Teachers College Press.
Wolfe, P., & Nevills, P. (2004). Building the reading brain: PreK-3. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Yusuf, H., & Enesi, A. (2012). Using sound in teaching reading in early childhood education. Journal of Language Teaching & Research, 3(4), 660–666. doi.10.4303/jltr.3.4.660-666.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Giles, R.M., Tunks, K. Teachers’ Thoughts on Teaching Reading: An Investigation of Early Childhood Teachers’ Perceptions of Literacy Acquisition. Early Childhood Educ J 43, 523–530 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-014-0672-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-014-0672-3