ERIC Number: EJ848195
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1184-0412
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Influence of Teacher Characteristics on Teachers' Knowledge of Language Form, Content, and Use
McIntyre, Laureen J.; Hellsten, Laurie-ann M.
Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, v32 n2 p140-154 2004
Research has demonstrated that poor readers may demonstrate a variety of language deficits (e.g., Adams, 1990), and children with language difficulties have difficulty reading later in life (e.g., Catts, Fey, Zhang, & Tomblin, 1999). Teachers are likely to be faced with the challenge of implementing programming to meet the needs of children with varying language needs. Therefore, teachers' knowledge of language is essential (e.g., Moats, 1994; Wilson, 1999). This study investigated which teacher variables significantly predicted teachers' knowledge of language form (phonology, morphology, syntax), content (semantics), and use (pragmatics). The Assessment of Oral Language Knowledge (AOLK; McIntyre, 2005) was administered to 236 preservice and inservice teachers. A simultaneous regression model was used to explore which teacher variables significantly predicted teachers' knowledge of language form, content, and use. Results indicated that years of teaching experience and gender accounted for 17.37% of the variance in teachers' knowledge of language form. Teachers' years of teaching experience and gender also accounted for 18.7% of the variance in teachers' knowledge of language content. None of the variables were statistically significant predictors of teachers' knowledge of language use. The importance of exploring teachers' knowledge of all three language domains, and the characteristics that influence this knowledge, to teacher training and inservicing are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Teacher Characteristics, Preservice Teachers, Phonology, Semantics, Syntax, Oral Language, Teaching Experience, Pragmatics, Language Impairments, Reading Difficulties, Reading Instruction, Language Skills, Morphology (Languages), Predictor Variables, Knowledge Level, Gender Differences, Foreign Countries, Age Differences, Language Arts
J.P. Das Developmental Disabilities Centre. 6-102 Education North, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB T6G 2G5, Canada. Tel: 780-492-4505; Fax: 780-492-1318; Web site: http://www.ualberta.ca/~jpdasddc/bulletin/index.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A