This observational study examines teacher pedagogy and student literacy practices in a 21st century resource rich Grade 1 classroom in order to gain insight into the forms, functions, tools, topics and contexts involved in students’ literacy experiences for boys of access and privilege. Teacher’s pedagogical choices were examined to understand how the teacher created learning opportunities based on her beliefs about texts and student identities and how her pedagogical choices were influenced by the curriculum, parents and the nature of schooling. Case study methodology was used in order to examine these complex relationships. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analyzed in the form of reading and writing profiles, collection of assessment data and artefacts, classroom observations, parent questionnaires, interviews with teacher and students and data related to the texts used in the classroom. This study is significant because it demonstrates that, in a school of access and privilege, literacy is taught in both traditional and new ways and the layering of these beliefs about literacy create meaningful learning experiences for the boys. Teacher pedagogy draws on teacher and student beliefs, knowledge and identities but is also influenced by traditional assumptions about “what the boys need to learn” in Grade 1. Theoretical frameworks that inform analysis in this research include multiliteracies (New London Group [NLG], 1996), multimodality (Kress, 2000), literacy as social practice (Barton & Hamilton, 2000) and social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978). These frameworks support an understanding of students’ literacy practices and the rationale behind the pedagogical choices made by the teacher as the students and teacher collaborate, communicate and engage in literacy practices around multimodal texts. Implications include shaping future teacher practice, goals for 21st century curriculum development and new conceptions around literacy learning practices that influence how young students contribute to and experience literacy in 21st century classrooms.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:TORONTO/oai:tspace.library.utoronto.ca:1807/32323 |
| Date | 26 March 2012 |
| Creators | Stein Dzaldov, Brenda |
| Contributors | Stagg Peterson, Shelley |
| Source Sets | University of Toronto |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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