Work

Developing Pre-Service Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Reading for Pleasure: What Is Missing? What Next?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Across the UK, Reading for Pleasure (RfP) is included in national curricula, yet children’s engagement as readers appears to be declining. Equipping pre-service teachers with the knowledge to develop RfP pedagogy in their classrooms is vital. Previous studies have identified knowledge of diverse children’s literature as central to RfP pedagogy. However, data indicate that teachers and pre-service teachers rely on a narrow childhood canon. Furthermore, in initial teacher training (ITT), developing teachers’ knowledge of children’s literature may be limited to an optional specialism. This study offers a starting point for ITT provision that develops pedagogical content knowledge for RfP. A total of 595 pre-service teachers’ questionnaire responses from 10 UK universities are reported about their expectations of RfP pedagogy and knowledge of children’s literature. Data showed their limited knowledge of children’s authors and illustrators and highlighted striking gaps in their understanding of RfP pedagogy with little difference between student teachers who read regularly or those who rarely read in their free time. Recommendations for new initiatives to address identified gaps in pre-service teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for RfP are discussed.

Source: Education Sciences

DOI: 10.3390/educsci15050588

Authors: Helen Hendry, Teresa Cremin, Anna Harrison

Institutions: The Open University, University of Roehampton

Language: English

Topic: Literacy and Educational Practices

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172