The study concerned the pre-service preparation of prospective teachers in meeting and comprehending the reading problems they will encounter during their professional teaching careers. The literature and research reviewed for the study revealed a paucity of studies that deal with the pre-service preparation of high school teachers concerning secondary school reading problems. The review, however, supported the need for such preparation at the secondary undergraduate pre-service level.Two purposes were developed concerning the investigation. The first purpose was to determine whether or not an intensive period of instruction for undergraduate prospective teachers in reading skills during pre-service preparation increased their awareness of and willingness to respond to the diversified reading abilities and skills of high school students. The second purpose was to ascertain the affect of an intensive period of instruction on the attitudes of undergraduate prospective high school teachers toward the teaching of reading in selected content fields. Two null hypotheses evolved from these purposes and were tested.The study utilized the methods classes in three subject areas at Ball State University. Fifty students comprised the total number of students for the experimental and control groups, 100 in the total population. Within these classes, five sections provided subgroups of students, each selected and divided at random. The groups were identified as experimental and control.The experimental groups underwent an intensive period of instruction which discussed four areas dealing with reading and its application to high school instruction. These areas were: (1) background nature of reading, (2) the textbook as a learning tool, (3) vocabulary associated with specific disciplines, and (4) comprehension. The experimental and control groups were tested at the conclusion of the intensive period of instruction by use of two instruments adopted for the study. These instruments measured attitudinal change and the awareness of and response to classroom situations related to reading problems presented to prospective secondary school teachers.The collected data from the two measurements were analyzed by using a two way analysis of variance. The analysis utilized two dependent variables in applying F-test ratios in ascertaining acceptance or rejection of the null hypotheses. The results of the analysis indicated the following:1. The experimental group differed from the control group after receiving the intensive period of instruction (treatment) in changing to more positive attitudes toward the teaching of reading at the secondary school level. This was significant at p.> .O1 level.2. After receiving the intensive period of instruction the experimental groups revealed a significant difference (p.> .0005) in ascertaining their awareness of and response to situations involving reading at the high school level as compared with the control groups.3. The experimental groups selected from the three methods classes were more aware of and exhibited a better response to the reading problems as measured by the Question Situation Analysis than the control groups. The differences between methods classes in determining reading problems was significant between classes at the p. x.0005 level.4. In this study, the interaction of the treatments by classes was not significant in testing either of the null hypotheses of the study. The over-all difference between the groups was essentially unchanged by the intensive period of instruction.5. There was significant differences between the two groups. The intensive period of instruction (treatment) produced a more positive change of attitudes and awareness of and response to secondary reading problems. The null hypotheses of no difference between the groups was rejected in both instances.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/180335 |
| Date | January 1969 |
| Creators | Rush, David L. |
| Contributors | Nesper, Paul W. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vi, 168 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
Page generated in 0.0017 seconds