Bridging the gap between preparation and practice: A teacher educator interviews a reading supervisor

Abstract

This article reports an interview between the instructor in a university undergraduate reading methods course and the reading supervisor for the local public school. The interview was conducted for the benefit of students taking the course who would subsequently student teach in those same schools. After students listened to tapes of the interview, the supervisor visited the class and answered their questions. Her suggestions about the knowledge and skills a teacher needs, and about the problems and potential of classroom reading programs served to reinforce the content of the university class. The author suggests that collaboration between reading faculty in colleges of education and public school reading personnel can strengthen preservice teacher education by helping students bridge the gap between preparation and practice.