Teachers as Readers: Baseline Profile Types with Regard to Skills, Habits, and Dispositions

Abstract

This paper shares findings drawn from data generated over a period of five years on self-reported reading skills, habits, and dispositions of pre-service and in-service K-12 teachers (primarily middle and high school) across content areas (N = 854). Using latent cluster analyses, we created a Teacher Reader Profile Type (TRPT) model that illuminates distinct differences between teachers in different content areas and across status (i.e. undergraduate v. graduate). Our results suggest five distinct TRPTs, each with relative strengths and areas for growth. We provide five recommendations for teacher education programs and policy makers to consider. In addition, the measurement tool in this study could be used for key assessment related to teachers as readers. Future research could focus on how to improve teacher progress toward reading maturity, and the extent to which TRPTs relate to their own students’ literacy development.