“We're just building!”: a study of collaborative coaching interactions

PurposeThis paper aims to clarify opportunities for collaborative interactions between cooperating teachers (CTs) and preservice teachers (PTs) in practice-based teacher preparation programs (TPPs). The study aimed to explore the discursive moves that facilitate collaboration between one CT and PT.Design/methodology/approachGrounded in the critical sociocultural theory, this study applied a qualitative microanalytic approach to the study of coaching interactions for the purpose of understanding why and how collaborative discourse developed between a CT and a PT.FindingsThis study of discourse moves within collaborative coaching interactions revealed collaborative interactions developed from strategic repositioning of social roles, which created space for authentic problem-posing by both the CT and the PT, and the co-construction of teaching events, which supported more specific planning toward future lessons; and routine and appreciative use of observational data created space for co-construction and co-inquiry.Practical implicationsThis study illuminated the complex social and discursive dance embedded within collaborative interactions. The findings also suggested that the project of co-constructing curriculum with someone is a powerful and necessary experience for a PT because it is through this co-construction that PTs learn how to design meaningful curriculum and critically reflect on practice.Originality/valueThis study offers new understandings around how collaborative talk in educational discourse transpires and why providing opportunities for PTs to take a more active role in their own learning is important.

Teachers as Learners: The Impact of Teachers’ Morphological Awareness on Vocabulary Instruction

Academic vocabulary knowledge is central to reading and academic achievement. Largely based in the lexicons of Latin and Greek, academic vocabulary comprises morphemic structures. Many teachers devote little time to focused instruction in this area because they may lack pertinent morphological and pedagogical knowledge. This article reports findings from a broader three-year longitudinal qualitative case study that explored the experiences of three elementary teachers who engaged in professional development that included study of the morphemic features of academic vocabulary and instructional techniques. This article describes changes teachers made to practice because of their deeper understanding of Latin and Greek morphology and how to teach it. Data sources included in-depth and semistructured interviews, direct observations of classroom practice, and analysis of instructional artifacts. Data analysis revealed that all three participants moved from teacher-centered, definitional approaches towards instruction that was student-centered and focused on developing metalinguistic awareness. Instructional shifts reflected participants’ new understandings about metalinguistic awareness, student-directed problem-solving, and collaborative talk in vocabulary learning. Instructional shifts address metalinguistic awareness, morphology, word consciousness, and Spanish–English cognate instruction—areas that may be overlooked in many classrooms.