Learning from preservice teachers' responses to trans-themed young adult literature: improving personal practice in teacher education. Issue 6 (1st November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Parsons, Linda T.
• Is Part Of: Discourse. Volume 37:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 933
• Page End: 947
• Publication Date: 2016-11-01
• Subjects: preservice teachers -- self-study -- teaching pedagogy -- trans-themed literature -- young adult literature; Education -- Periodicals; Education -- Australia -- Periodicals; 370.5
• DOI: 10.1080/01596306.2015.1084105
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0159-6306

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Tensions and contradictions in my personal practice and in the extant research prompted this study of preservice teachers' responses to trans-themed young adult literature. I adopted a self-study methodology to identify and address the shortcomings in my practice of including trans-themed literature in a Literature for Adolescents course. Through inductive analysis, I discovered that my students made statements related to literary, sociocultural, and personal themes. Next, I considered the data within and across themes to reflect on my personal practice. The students' responses suggest that I could improve my teaching practice by (1) guiding them to employ specific critical theories and analysis and (2) including multiple texts about the transgender experience. I propose and trouble these practices and consider the ways they confirm or contradict others' research regarding good teaching practices.