Teacher Dispositions in Teaching Reading: Implications for Professional Development of Teachers in Rural Schools

Teacher disposition ranges from specific observable behaviors to teacher characteristics, beliefs, values, and perceptions.  This study uses the Bourdieusian concept of habitus as theoretical framework for understanding teacher disposition.  Habitus influences a person’s characteristics, behaviors, and beliefs in dealing with the realities around them.  In the study, teacher disposition was equated with teacher perceptions. The 102 participants gave 233 best practices grouped into instructional content/procedures (44%) and instructional conditions/resources (56%) categories.  The top responses under instructional content/procedures were identified as “bottom-up” procedures that break complex linguistic tasks into their component skills.  Under instructional conditions/resources, participants mentioned positive teacher characteristics, planning the lessons well as reflected in the lesson plans, and home/parental involvement their best practices.   The teachers in the study favored skills-based, bottom-up procedures in teaching reading and expressed confidence in the role of teacher characteristics such as patience, enthusiasm, passion, caring, and dedication in enhancing students’ learning.