Preparing Early Childhood Educators to Teach Reading: Challenges and Difficulties

Abstract

While reading professors would agree that there is nothing more important than preparing preservice early childhood educators (PECE) to teach reading, research indicates that the processes by which this occurs are often ineffective and incomplete. Helping teacher candidates develop the content knowledge and pedagogical strategies necessary to work with young children on their literacy skills is critical, but it requires time and engagement with the content that is not easily afforded through one three-credit hour phonics course. This article chronicles one teacher educator’s attempt to improve the quality of instruction provided to preservice early childhood educators in her phonics course for the purpose of equipping them with the skills required to teach young children how to read.