All the Ways of Reading Literature: Preservice English Teachers’ Perspectives on Disciplinary Literacy

Abstract

In recent years the field of literacy education and research has seen an increased attention to disciplinary literacy instruction—the teaching of discipline-specific and valued ways of reading, writing, knowing, and communicating knowledge. This article is about disciplinary literacy, specifically disciplinary reading as it is understood by preservice teachers of English language arts. Data were collected from two cohorts of preservice English teachers (2010–2011; 2011–2012). Qualitative content analysis of preservice teachers’ writings and interview data suggests that “reading” in the discipline of English encompasses a range of approaches to texts. It can mean paying attention to the language and form of the text, or exploring the social and cultural worlds within the work. It can also mean applying different interpretive lenses, such as the lens of race, class, gender, or culture. Much of the data also contained preservice teachers’ ideas for and concerns about teaching disciplinary literacy to adolescents. Insight into preservice teachers’ perspectives on disciplinary literacy can support the work of teacher educators, student teaching supervisors, and mentor teachers.