Empowering future literacy instructors: the role of mastery experiences in pre-service teachers’ literacy knowledge and self-efficacy
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Teachers play a crucial role in reading development, but many lack explicit content knowledge and literacy self-efficacy for effective instruction. This study explores a mastery experience-focused professional learning opportunity to enhance pre-service teachers’ literacy instruction skills. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, it argues that mastery experiences are crucial for developing effective literacy teachers. The program integrates explicit knowledge instruction with hands-on, collaborative experiences over 10 weeks. Results indicate statistically significant growth in self-efficacy and literacy instruction knowledge among participants. The study also highlights potential reciprocal benefits for local children and schools, particularly in supporting struggling readers. The findings suggest this approach effectively prepares pre-service teachers to be literacy instructors, bridging the gap between theory and practice. This research provides valuable insights into the potential of mastery experience-focused initial teacher professional learning opportunities in transforming literacy education.
Authors: Jeremy M Law, Karen Boese, Suparna Roy, Alexandra S Boese, Stephen Scholes
Institutions: University of Glasgow, Queen Margaret University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7073458774