Teacher background and teacher knowledge related to language structures and reading instruction

This study examined the knowledge of experienced teachers related to English language structures and their applications to basic reading instruction. The study further explored the contributions teachers' experiences, pre-service preparation, in-service professional development and perceptions made to their level of knowledge. A thirty-minute survey including a 34-item test of teacher knowledge and a 16-item demographics questionnaire was administered to 183 teachers. The majority of participants were fully licensed, experienced teachers with college degrees who were currently working in Colorado schools. The findings suggest that increased teachers' perceptions of effectiveness and more in-service training experiences are related to increased knowledge of English language structures. However, the overall results of the study indicate that existing teachers continue to have limited knowledge of English language structures and limited knowledge of some key findings from scientific research on reading instruction. The study suggests that reeducation of the existing teacher workforce is necessary to ensure that students receive reading instruction based on the findings of converging scientific research. The study further suggests that teacher preparation programs and licensing requirements need to be redesigned to ensure that new teacher candidates are better prepared to effectively teach reading.