When describing how to support struggling readers, significant differences emerged between the teacher groups: Special education teachers mentioned activities to support students’ reading comprehension more frequently than classroom teachers whereas classroom teachers mentioned activities for supporting reading motivation more often than special education teachers. Special education teachers ( n = 37) mentioned a wider range of reading strategies than classroom teachers ( n = 28). The results showed that teachers’ content knowledge about reading comprehension processes and pedagogical knowledge of reading comprehension instruction were considerably variable yet mostly limited. The content analysis classified qualitative data from semi-structured interviews as quantitative data. The study was carried out among teachers ( N = 65) in Estonia. The study investigated teachers’ knowledge of reading comprehension processes and reading comprehension instruction. The measure may be used in future research, to examine teachers’ knowledge about language across samples and contexts and as related to classroom practices and children’s learning, and to inform teacher preparation programs and professional development to better support such knowledge. Preservice teachers’ preparation to support children’s language learning, however, was not associated with their TCKOLS scores. As hypothesized, preservice early childhood teachers were less knowledgeable about oral language than pre-professional SLPs, and TCKOLS scores were significantly correlated with existing measures of vocabulary and morphological knowledge. On average, preservice early childhood teachers correctly answered 69% of items and were particularly knowledgeable about vocabulary skills and development. Findings support internal consistency and provide validity evidence for the measure. The research team created the TCKOLS following a rigorous, iterative development process and conducted an initial pilot study with 32 preservice early childhood teachers and 26 pre-professional speech-language pathologists (SLPs). The current study reports on the development of the Teachers’ Content Knowledge of Oral Language Survey (TCKOLS), a measure designed to assess preservice and in-service early childhood teachers’ knowledge in this domain. To date, however, educational researchers and teacher educators have little understanding about teachers’ knowledge about oral language. The discussion considers implications for the use of the instrument, including as a needs assessment or guide for professional development for both preservice and inservice teachers.Įfforts to improve classroom language practices and children’s language learning, as a means of supporting reading comprehension, may depend on teachers’ knowledge about language structures and language development. Initial analyses provide evidence for the content and construct validity of the TKVS as a measure of teacher knowledge of vocabulary development and effective instruction. Fifty teachers completed the TKVS, and their performance was found to correlate with the experts’ predicted difficulties of the items. Ratings of item difficulty by subject matter experts were then used to distinguish three levels of teacher knowledge of vocabulary: emergent, intermediate, and expert. The survey’s 52 statements comprise 6 categories, including one section on vocabulary development, four sections on instruction, and one section on instruction specifically for English learners. Statements about vocabulary development and instruction were gathered from foundational texts, reviewed by subject matter experts, and researched in cognitive labs for possible inclusion as items in the TKVS. However, vocabulary is a crucial determinant of reading comprehension and content area knowledge, particularly for English learners (Graves, August, & Mancilla-Martinez, 2013). While a few studies have measured teacher knowledge of reading, there are no known instruments for measuring teachers’ knowledge of vocabulary development and instruction. This type of knowledge has become increasingly important as all classroom teachers are expected to help students meet language and literacy standards that include vocabulary acquisition. This article describes the development of an instrument to measure teachers’ knowledge of vocabulary development and instruction, the Teacher Knowledge of Vocabulary Survey (TKVS).
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