Publication Date
12-2025
Abstract
The influence of identifying as a reader and writer in being a literacy teacher has been emphasized in the literature (Graves, 1983). However, few studies have explored how teacher education programs develop these identities in preservice teachers (PSTs). Grounded in Demerath’s (2006) epistemological identity theory, this study explored the fluid process of teacher identity formation, focusing on nurturing PSTs’ identities as readers and writers. The study took place over one semester in an English Education course. The researchers analyzed three PST participants’ weekly reflections about their beliefs regarding teaching and learning literacy. These statements revolved around topics that aligned with literacy theories they studied, book discussions, and writing they engaged in. The researchers used Gee’s (1999) definition of discourse, which regards discourse as “situated identities” (p. 13), and adopted Alsup’s (2005) borderland discourse analysis to explore PSTs’ discourses in the crossover between student and teacher discourse. The findings suggest that PSTs benefited from the opportunity to engage with reading and writing materials at their level (e.g., adult books), which provided them with a more sophisticated understanding of literacy, enhanced their literacy skills, deepened their appreciation for reading and writing, and, for some participants, influenced them to begin identifying themselves as readers and writers.
Recommended Citation
Rutt Williams, S., Qu, P., & Denning, L. (2025). Beyond the Red Pen: Investigating the Formation of Reader and Writer Identity Development in Preservice Teachers. Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts, 64 (3). Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/reading_horizons/vol64/iss3/5
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
