Description
Abundant research chronicles the backgrounds and characteristics of community college students assigned to developmental reading. Many are members of underrepresented groups and first in their families to attend college. English may not be their primary language. Developmental students often struggle with learning disabilities. Nontraditional students are also common. In contrast, very little research examines the backgrounds and training of developmental reading instructors. This quantitative study entailed a two-part survey. The first portion gathered demographic information about the 1,795 developmental reading instructors at the 112 California community colleges; the second involved administration of a standardized instrument developed at the University of Tennessee, the Assessment of Reading Instructional Knowledge-Adults (ARIK-A). Six analyses sought to determine the existence of significant differences in performance on the assessment instrument according to educational background, primary level of instruction, employment status, and amount of professional development. Two analyses sought to determine whether sense of collegiality and sense of belonging to a professional learning community within the department could be attributed to employment status. The results of the study point to the significant role played by an instructor's educational background. Other results underscore the need for coherent professional development and for intentional efforts on the part of the institution to promote collective efficacy among the faculty, including a sense of belonging to a professional learning community. Recommendations are proposed regarding the minimum qualifications for hire, professional development, oversight of the trajectory from initial placement to college-level, and the crucial necessity to stay apprised of current legislation.
