Journal Article

A Multistate Study of Dominant Discourses in Teacher Candidates’ Memories of Writing

Wall, Amanda, Myers, Joy, Kang, Grace, Ikpeze, Chinwe H., Kline, Sonia M., Smetana, Linda, Scales, Roya, Raskauskas, Jenn, Tracy, Kelly N.

2021

Overview

This article examines the discourses of writing evident in teacher candidates’ memories of writing and considers implications for teacher preparation. Data sources were written memories from 120 teacher candidates from six institutions across the United States. Grounded in a discourses of writing framework, data were investigated using thematic and discourse analysis. Findings indicate that language associated with a skills discourse of writing, emphasizing structure and correctness, was prevalent in the memories of how teacher candidates were taught to write. More dominant in these memories, however, was language related to negativity and absence, indicating that teacher candidates were critical of their K–12 writing education and that these experiences were limited across multiple dimensions (i.e., writing pedagogy, processes, products, purposes, audiences, writer agency). In contrast, when teacher candidates wrote about their most memorable writing experiences, the majority were replete with language related to positive affect, and discourses of agency and purpose were widespread. These memories suggest that despite their dominant narratives of absence, teacher candidates possess access to broader discourses of writing that might inform their teaching, especially those associated with social practice. Implications include three ways that teacher educators might position future educators to disrupt narrow discourses of writing in schools.

• Publisher: Caddo Gap Press
• Subject: Academic Language / Analysis / Beginning Writing / Creativity / Discourse Analysis / Education / Genre / Handwriting / Language / Learning / Literacy / Memory / Methods / Pedagogy / Preservice Teacher Education / Preservice Teachers / Prior Learning / Sociopolitical factors / Student Attitudes / Teacher education / Teacher Educators / Teachers / Teaching / Teaching Methods / Writing / Writing (Composition) / Writing Instruction / Writing Skills