Describing teaching practices in text comprehension: an exploratory study

Abstract

The transformation of teaching practices is the outcome of a prolonged and complex process that necessitates continuous professional development. Its primary aim is to enhance educators’ awareness of the often implicit decisions embedded in instructional planning, while fostering critical reflection on the multifaceted nature of their professional roles. Text comprehension, a naturally transversal and multi-component skill, and the teaching methods that support it, particularly expose teachers to the risk of not clearly identifying objectives and suitable methods and consequently failing to concretely guide practices. This study explores the outcomes of a questionnaire administered at the initial stage of a teacher professional development-research aimed at improving text comprehension, to better understand the teaching habits and self-efficacy perceptions of a group of 25 fourth-grade primary school teachers, and, consequently, to identify their training needs. The survey instrument included items from an Italian adaptation of the Tsachennen-Moran scale, also known as the Ohio scale, and open-ended questions through which teachers described the text comprehension activities commonly carried out in the classroom. Teachers' responses revealed heterogeneity in practices, some difficulty in describing the objectives and strategies implemented in text comprehension activities, and modest self-efficacy, particularly regarding the ability to propose challenging activities for the most capable students.