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A Cross-Sectional Study Of Student Teachers' Behaviour Management Strategies Throughout Their Training Years, Stuart Woodcock, Andrea Reupert
A Cross-Sectional Study Of Student Teachers' Behaviour Management Strategies Throughout Their Training Years, Stuart Woodcock, Andrea Reupert
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Despite the importance of behaviour management, many student teachers report being inadequately trained in this area. The aim of this study was to identify the strategies, confidence and reported levels of success in regard to various behaviour management strategies, across 509 first, second, third and fourth year student teachers training to be primary teachers. The most significant differences were found between first and second year student teachers in regard to their use of, and confidence in, initial and later corrective strategies, and between second and third year student teachers in terms of their use of, and confidence in, differentiating curriculum …
The Digital Education Revolution: New South Wales Science Teachers' Response To Laptop Ubiquity, Wendy Nielsen, Alex Miller, Garry F. Hoban
The Digital Education Revolution: New South Wales Science Teachers' Response To Laptop Ubiquity, Wendy Nielsen, Alex Miller, Garry F. Hoban
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Since the introduction of laptop computers across Australia for all Year 9 students, teachers have sought to make meaningful use of the learning potential represented by the introduction. This study uses a lens of cultural historical activity theory to explore how teachers have responded to the ubiquitous presence of student laptop computers during the initial implementation. This paper reports a one-year case study of two highly qualified and experienced high school science teachers that considers their efforts to implement laptop computers in Year 9 and Year 10 science classes. The study shows that these teachers are committed to developing and …
Does Study Of An Inclusive Education Subject Influence Pre-Service Teachers' Concerns And Self-Efficacy About Inclusion?, Stuart Woodcock, Brian Hemmings, Russell Kay
Does Study Of An Inclusive Education Subject Influence Pre-Service Teachers' Concerns And Self-Efficacy About Inclusion?, Stuart Woodcock, Brian Hemmings, Russell Kay
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Survey data were collected from pre-service teachers studying at a large regional Australian university. These data were examined with the purpose of determining whether pre-service teachers' views (and concerns) about inclusion and their confidence to teach in inclusive classrooms had changed as a result of studying an inclusive education subject and undertaking a practicum linked to that subject. The results of an analysis based on mean values indicated that the various concerns, namely, resources, acceptance, workplace, and academic standards, did not change markedly as a consequence of the subject and practicum experiences. This analysis also showed a hierarchy of concerns …
Understanding The Design Context For Australian University Teachers: Implications For The Future Of Learning Design, Susan Bennett, Lisa Thomas, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Jennifer Jones, Barry Harper
Understanding The Design Context For Australian University Teachers: Implications For The Future Of Learning Design, Susan Bennett, Lisa Thomas, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer, Jennifer Jones, Barry Harper
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Based on the premise that providing support for university teachers in designing for their teaching will ultimately improve the quality of student learning outcomes, recent interest in the development of support tools and strategies has gained momentum. This article reports on a study that examined the context in which Australian university teachers design in order to understand what role design support tools and strategies could play. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 academics across 16 Australian universities. The findings suggest that most Australian university teachers have a high degree of flexibility in their design decisions suggesting that opportunities exist for …
Turning The Switch On! The Teachers’ Ability To Influence Student Motivation In Physical Education, Dana Perlman, Philip J. Pearson, Kim Mckeen, Gregory J. Forrest
Turning The Switch On! The Teachers’ Ability To Influence Student Motivation In Physical Education, Dana Perlman, Philip J. Pearson, Kim Mckeen, Gregory J. Forrest
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Student motivation is an area of importance in physical education due to the association with enhanced levels of effort, participation and aspects of learning (Tjeerdsma-Blankenship, 2008; Chen, 2001). Physical education specialists are routinely challenged by students who demonstrate behaviours indicative of low levels of motivation, such as high rates of absenteeism and severely low levels of active participation within the class setting (Ntoumanis, Peensgaard, Martin & Pipe, 2004). Bryan and Solmon (2007) indicate that the teacher is a primary driver for the development and implementation of experiences that support and/or thwart student motivation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was …
Preservice Teachers' Views Of Inclusive Education: A Content Analysis, Brian Hemmings, Stuart Woodcock
Preservice Teachers' Views Of Inclusive Education: A Content Analysis, Brian Hemmings, Stuart Woodcock
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Survey-based research was conducted with pre-service teachers, from a large regional Australian university, to explore their views about inclusion and their readiness to teach in inclusive classrooms. Open-ended questions were included in the survey to glean information on the respondents’ feelings and concerns about inclusion and inclusive practices. In addition, questions were framed to allow the respondents to discuss ways that the University could better prepare them as practising teachers. The responses to each of these questions were content analysed to delineate categories, and frequencies were calculated on the most salient categories. The results of this analysis are reported and …
Esl Teachers And Pronunciation Pedagogy: Exploring The Development Of Teachers' Cognitions And Classroom Practices, Amanda A. Baker
Esl Teachers And Pronunciation Pedagogy: Exploring The Development Of Teachers' Cognitions And Classroom Practices, Amanda A. Baker
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Over the past few decades, increasing more research has examined the cognitions (knowledge and beliefs) of second language (L2) teachers. Such research has provided insight into what constitutes teachers' beliefs and knowledge about teaching, how these cognitions have developed and how they are reflected in classroom practice (see Borg, 2006). Although numerous studies have been conducted into the curricular areas of grammar and, to a lesser extent, reading and writing, even fewer have examined teachers' cognitions into pronunciation instruction. The purpose of the present study, therefore, is to explore some of the dynamic relationships that exist between L2 teachers‘ cognitions …
Online Practice & Offline Roles: A Cultural View Of Teachers’ Low Engagement In Online Communities, Sarah Howard, Jonathan Mckeown
Online Practice & Offline Roles: A Cultural View Of Teachers’ Low Engagement In Online Communities, Sarah Howard, Jonathan Mckeown
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
An online community of practice (CoP) can extend teachers’ professional interaction beyond their school, but these practices are often underutilized. Using cultural theory, this paper proposes that teachers’ low engagement in online CoPs is that this “practice” is not part of their role as a teacher, individually or in their school culture. These ideas are examined through teachers’ low engagement in an online CoP as part of a research project. Findings suggest that teachers saw the online community as part of their role in the project, not as part of their “offline” role as a classroom teacher. The discussion conjectures …
Canadian And Australian Pre-Service Teachers' Use, Confidence And Success In Various Behaviour Management Strategies, Andrea Reupert, Stuart Woodcock
Canadian And Australian Pre-Service Teachers' Use, Confidence And Success In Various Behaviour Management Strategies, Andrea Reupert, Stuart Woodcock
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The purpose of this study was twofold; first, to identify Australian and Canadian pre-service teachers’ use, confidence and success in various behaviour management strategies, and second, to identify significant differences between the two cohorts. Pooled data indicated that pre-service teachers most frequently employ low level corrective strategies, such as nonverbal body language, rather than strategies that serve to prevent student misbehaviour. The strategies pre-service teachers report most frequently employing were also those they felt most confident in. Australian pre-service teachers employ rewards significantly more, whilst Canadian pre-service teachers utilise preventative and differentiation strategies significantly more. Differences might be accounted for …
Using Slowmation For Animated Storytelling To Represent Non-Aboriginal Preservice Teachers' Awareness Of "Relatedness To Country", Anthony D. Mcknight, Garry Hoban, Wendy Nielsen
Using Slowmation For Animated Storytelling To Represent Non-Aboriginal Preservice Teachers' Awareness Of "Relatedness To Country", Anthony D. Mcknight, Garry Hoban, Wendy Nielsen
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In this study, a group (N=15) of final year non-Aboriginal pre ervice teachers participated in an elective subject that aimed to raise their awarene s ab ut Aboriginal ways of knowing. A vital aspect of the course was developing the preservice teachers' awareness of "relatedness to country" which is a key belief for Aboriginal people. The non-Aboriginal pre service teachers s lected their own special place and then experienced Aboriginal ways of knowing throughout the course and vi ited local Aboriginal sites to hear and listen to stories shared by an Aboriginal Elder. At the end of the subject, the …
Tracing Discourses Of Health And The Body: Exploring Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Constructions Of `Healthy' Bodies, Jan Wright, Rosemary K. Welch
Tracing Discourses Of Health And The Body: Exploring Pre-Service Primary Teachers' Constructions Of `Healthy' Bodies, Jan Wright, Rosemary K. Welch
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Contemporary notions of childhood overweight and obesity have become increasingly influential in curriculum and pedagogy in school-based Health and Physical Education (HPE). Teachers' delivery of HPE subject matter and related school practices are likely to have a considerable impact on the attitudes and beliefs of the children they teach, particularly in the primary school. It thus becomes important to consider the ways of thinking about and doing health (discourse positions on health) that teachers bring to their teaching of HPE. This paper examines pre-service teachers' positions in relation to the health discourses to better understand what teachers, in this case …
Relationships Between Personal Biography And Changes In Preservice Classroom Teachers' Physical Activity Promotion Competence And Attitude, Collin A. Webster
Relationships Between Personal Biography And Changes In Preservice Classroom Teachers' Physical Activity Promotion Competence And Attitude, Collin A. Webster
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Personal biography influences preservice classroom teachers’ (PCT) perceptions and attitudes related to school-based physical activity promotion (SPAP). Using an uncontrolled prepost design, this study investigated associations between biographical variables and changes in PCTs’ SPAP attitudes and perceived competence while enrolled in a 16-week SPAP course. PCTs (N = 201) completed baseline measures assessing biographical variables of year in school, sports participation, coaching/teaching experience, BMI, satisfaction with K-12 physical education (PE) and perceived physical activity (PA) competence, and prepost measures assessing SPAP attitudes and perceived competence. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance procedures showed statistically significant, positive changes in PCTs’ scores …
Are We Exacerbating Students' Learning Disabilities? An Investigation Of Preservice Teachers' Attributions Of The Educational Outcomes Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Wilhelmina J. Vialle, Stuart Woodcock
Are We Exacerbating Students' Learning Disabilities? An Investigation Of Preservice Teachers' Attributions Of The Educational Outcomes Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Wilhelmina J. Vialle, Stuart Woodcock
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
While claims of the importance of attribution theory and teachers’ expectations of students for student performance are repeatedly made, there is little comprehensive research identifying the perceptions preservice teachers have of students with learning disabilities (LD). Accordingly, 444 Australian preservice primary school teachers were surveyed using vignettes and Likert-scale questions, to ascertain their responses to students with and without LD. It was found that preservice primary school general education teachers held a negative attribution style towards students with LD. Preservice primary teachers perceived students with LD as lacking ability in comparison to others in the class. Recommendations for research and …
Are We Doing Enough? Assessing The Needs Of Teachers In Isolated Schools With Students With Oppositional Defiant Disorder In Mainstream Classes, Fiona Mclean, Roselyn Dixon
Are We Doing Enough? Assessing The Needs Of Teachers In Isolated Schools With Students With Oppositional Defiant Disorder In Mainstream Classes, Fiona Mclean, Roselyn Dixon
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The Vinson report (2001) into public education highlighted the growing incidence of behavioural problems within the NSW public school system.
The Teacher Education Conversation: A Network Of Cooperating Teachers, Wendy Nielsen, Anthony Clarke, Valerie Triggs, John Collins
The Teacher Education Conversation: A Network Of Cooperating Teachers, Wendy Nielsen, Anthony Clarke, Valerie Triggs, John Collins
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This study investigated a professional learning community of cooperating teachers and university‐based teacher educators. To examine our roles and perspectives as colleagues in teacher education, we drew on frameworks in teacher learning and complexity science. Monthly group meetings of this inquiry community were held over two school years in a suburban school district in British Columbia. Participants’ current and prior experiences in the role of cooperating teacher provided rich topics for conversation. Our analysis illustrates how aspects of complexity thinking both enable and promote teacher learning, in this instance, the professional development of cooperating teachers. The study highlights (a) key …
Animated Storytelling About "My Special Place" To Represent Non-Aboriginal Preservice Teachers' Awareness Of "Relatedness To Country", Anthony D. Mcknight, Garry Hoban, Wendy Nielsen
Animated Storytelling About "My Special Place" To Represent Non-Aboriginal Preservice Teachers' Awareness Of "Relatedness To Country", Anthony D. Mcknight, Garry Hoban, Wendy Nielsen
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In this study, a group (N=15) of final year non-Aboriginal preservice teachers participated in an elective subject that aimed to raise their awareness about Aboriginal ways of knowing. A vital aspect of the course was developing the preservice teachers‘ awareness of "relatedness to country" which is a key belief for Aboriginal people. The non-Aboriginal preservice teachers selected their own special place and then experienced Aboriginal ways of knowing throughout the course and visited local Aboriginal sites to hear and listen to stories shared by an Aboriginal Elder. At the end of the subject, the preservice teachers created their own animated …
The Role Of Biographical Characteristics In Preservice Classroom Teachers' School Physical Activity Promotion Attitudes, Collin Webster, Eva Monsma, Heather Erwin
The Role Of Biographical Characteristics In Preservice Classroom Teachers' School Physical Activity Promotion Attitudes, Collin Webster, Eva Monsma, Heather Erwin
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Recommendations for increasing children’s daily physical activity (PA) call on classroom teachers to assume an activist role at school. This study examined relationships among preservice classroom teachers’ (PCT; n = 247) biographical characteristics, perceptions and attitudes regarding school PA promotion (SPAP). Results indicated participants who completed SPAP-related college coursework and had PA-related teaching/coaching experiences reported higher SPAP competence. Significant relationships were found among BMI, personal PA competence and SPAP competence in the contexts of PE and extracurricular settings. Personal PA competence and SPAP competence at recess and in the classroom predicted 19% of the variance in SPAP attitudes. Experiences in …
The Potential To Learn: Pre-Service Teachers' Proposed Use Of Instructional Strategies For Students With A Learning Disability, Stuart Woodcock, Wilma Vialle
The Potential To Learn: Pre-Service Teachers' Proposed Use Of Instructional Strategies For Students With A Learning Disability, Stuart Woodcock, Wilma Vialle
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Over recent years, moves toward the inclusion of students with special needs in mainstream classrooms has brought about increasing attention to the way general education teachers perceive these students. Commensurate with this has been a growing interest in what may constitute educational success for children with special needs in mainstream classrooms, plus the ability of general education teachers to provide effective and appropriate instruction for them. It is known that teachers form beliefs about the process of teaching during their pre-service training and also that once a belief has been held for a long time, it becomes extremely difficult to …
Overseas Trained Teachers (Otts): Student Attitudes And Expectations In The Context Of Vocational Education, Jill Murray, Judith Cross
Overseas Trained Teachers (Otts): Student Attitudes And Expectations In The Context Of Vocational Education, Jill Murray, Judith Cross
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The vocational education and preparation of overseas trained teachers (OTTs) in NSW is a demanding and lengthy process. It involves the development of communicative language ability to a standard equivalent to native-like vocational proficiency in two domains: linguistic and pragmatic. In order to demonstrate competence at this level, OTTs in NSW are required to pass an English language test, the NSW Professional English Assessment for Teachers (PEAT). In the PEAT, Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are specifically tested in the context of workplace requirements for the NSW education system. Success in the PEAT leads directly to the DET Pre-Employment Program. …
Improving Preservice Teachers' Science Knowledge By Creating, Reviewing And Publishing Slowmations To Teachertube, Garry F. Hoban, David C. Macdonald, Brian Ferry
Improving Preservice Teachers' Science Knowledge By Creating, Reviewing And Publishing Slowmations To Teachertube, Garry F. Hoban, David C. Macdonald, Brian Ferry
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Slowmation is a simplified form of stop-motion animation that enables learners to create their own animations of science concepts. This paper presents a study of preservice elementary teachers in two science method classes (17 in 2007 and 12 in 2008) to research if they improved their science knowledge when they used a three phase framework to create, review and publish slowmations to a web site (TeacherTube). Qualitative data (three interviews, two concept maps and the animations) collected from each preservice teacher showed that nearly all increased their science content knowledge as a result of creating the animations. Uploading the slowmations …
Simplifying Animation With "Slowmation" To Encourage Preservice Teachers' Science Learning And Teaching, Garry F. Hoban, David C. Macdonald, Brian Ferry, Sharon Hoban
Simplifying Animation With "Slowmation" To Encourage Preservice Teachers' Science Learning And Teaching, Garry F. Hoban, David C. Macdonald, Brian Ferry, Sharon Hoban
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Preservice elementary teachers often lack science content knowledge which reduces their confidence to implement the subject in school classrooms. “Slowmation” (abbreviated from “Slow Animation”) is a new yet simplified form of stop-motion animation that encourages preservice teachers to engage with science content because they create their own animations to represent key concepts. This paper presents a study of 29 preservice elementary teachers in a science method class to ascertain if they improved their science knowledge when they created their own animations and whether they used the approach to teach science in classrooms on practicum. Qualitative data (three interviews, two concept …
Examining The Gender Gap In Educational Outcomes In Public Education: Involving Pre-Service School Counsellors And Teachers In Cross-Cultural And Interdisciplinary Research, Wilhelmina J. Vialle, Paul Thompson, Mary Ann Clark
Examining The Gender Gap In Educational Outcomes In Public Education: Involving Pre-Service School Counsellors And Teachers In Cross-Cultural And Interdisciplinary Research, Wilhelmina J. Vialle, Paul Thompson, Mary Ann Clark
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
International educational statistics have reported a gender gap in educational outcomes, with boys falling behind girls in regard to grades, high school graduation and university enrollment and retention. This study involved pre-service teachers and school counsellors in Colleges of Education at three universities on three continents carrying out focus groups with public school students, interviews with educators, and examining national and international quantitative data to investigate this issue from a local and a cross cultural perspective. Common themes were found in each country and implications for addressing the problem considered.
Reuse Of A Role Play For New University Teachers, Sarah Lambert, David Macdonald
Reuse Of A Role Play For New University Teachers, Sarah Lambert, David Macdonald
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In a paper presented at the 2006 ascilite conference it was stated that thirty six online roleplays were identified in Australian universities, of which 80% were reuse of a Learning Design (Wills & McDougall, 2006). Migrating a proven learning design is not always a simple process (Devonshire, 2006) but as this paper, addressing the conference theme of on-line role play, demonstrates it can be achieved effectively. From a pedagogical perspective, one of the main challenges is associated with the task of realigning the activity to adequately reflect the new context, delivery mode, target audience, learning process and anticipated outcomes (Devonshire, …
Engaging Early Career Teachers In 'Virtual Writing Conferences' With Grade Five Students, Lisa K. Kervin, Jessica Mantei
Engaging Early Career Teachers In 'Virtual Writing Conferences' With Grade Five Students, Lisa K. Kervin, Jessica Mantei
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The changing definition of what it means to be literate is well documented within the literature. The familiarity of many students with screen-based texts and their ability to manipulate computer-based technologies, in particular Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), is well understood. There are examples within the literature of how technology can be used to support the writing process (Turbill & Murray, 2006), provide students with control over the phases of text production (Novinger & Smith, 2003) and the need for teachers to create authentic and engaging experiences (Kervin & Mantei, 2006; Peterson, 2005). Taking such perspectives into consideration, we worked …
Using Target To Enhance Preservice Classroom Teachers' Ability To Identify And Develop A Motivational Climate In Physical Education, Dana Perlman, Grace Goc Karp
Using Target To Enhance Preservice Classroom Teachers' Ability To Identify And Develop A Motivational Climate In Physical Education, Dana Perlman, Grace Goc Karp
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Motivation is often a major concern for educators in all subject areas. Educational benefits associated with increased levels of student motivation have been well-documented within educational research. Improving student motivation can be affected by the educational environment (motivational climate), developed by the teacher. This study examined the development of pre service teachers' (n= 13) utilization of TARGET (a motivational intervention) in a physical education practicum setting. Data was collected through two methods, (a) scenario responses were conducted using a pretest/ posttest design and (b) self-reflection and field notes were collected during the practicum. Data revealed that a semester methods course …
Technology Use, Technology Views: Anticipating Professional Use Of Ict For Beginning Physical And Health Education Teachers, Lori Lockyer, John W. Patterson
Technology Use, Technology Views: Anticipating Professional Use Of Ict For Beginning Physical And Health Education Teachers, Lori Lockyer, John W. Patterson
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
In Australia, the national initiative known as Learning in an Online World, focuses school jurisdictions across the country meet the challenge of achieving the national vision of all schools “…confidently using ICT in their everyday practices to improve learning, teaching and administration” (MCEETYA, 2005, p. 3). One strategy in reaching this goal is the effective preparation of pre-service teachers to use and integrate technology in their teaching and learning practices. This article reports on a research study that aimed to explore the issue preparation for use of technology in teaching by understanding the current and anticipated technology usage for Australian …
Student Teachers And Critical Approaches To Education: Re-Imagining The 'Other' Through A Re-Imagining Of The Learning Environment, Gordon L. Brown
Student Teachers And Critical Approaches To Education: Re-Imagining The 'Other' Through A Re-Imagining Of The Learning Environment, Gordon L. Brown
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
This paper reports on a teacher education initiative that seeks a more effective approach to a commonly used treatment of education foundations, particularly the sociology and philosophy of education. The initiative takes as its starting points a critique of education foundation practices in at least two universities and the standpoint that the main rationale for including education foundations is to (morally) influence learning outcomes in schools. The ‘vehicle’ or ‘mechanism’ for this re-conceptualisation is a developing theory of the Learning Environment, used by the author and others, which takes the Learning Environment to be not simply the location of learning …
What Adolescents Are Reading And What Their Teachers Are Not: Between The Deformed Discourse And Disdain Of The Graphic Novel, Philip R. Fitzsimmons
What Adolescents Are Reading And What Their Teachers Are Not: Between The Deformed Discourse And Disdain Of The Graphic Novel, Philip R. Fitzsimmons
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
It was only at the beginning of this year that I realised that I had spent all of my teaching and research life talking with children under the age of twelve years, and even within this group it was mostly with children under six. While I had come to understand a great deal about literacy acquisition (Geekie, Cambourne and Fitzsimmons 1999) and elementary school reading development (Harris, Turbill, Fitzsimmons and McKenzie 2001), as my own teenage daughter constantly reminded me, all I knew was ‘ankle-biter speak’. Determined to change this, I began working with a group of students in a …
In-School Professional Development: Supporting Teachers With The Inclusion Of Critical Literacy In Their Classrooms, Lisa K. Kervin, Michelle Rodwell
In-School Professional Development: Supporting Teachers With The Inclusion Of Critical Literacy In Their Classrooms, Lisa K. Kervin, Michelle Rodwell
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
The voluminous literature within the field of teacher professional development presents varied components of what constitutes meaningful professional development experiences for teachers. The case reported herein describes how components identified from an analysis of the literature have been incorporated within an inschool model of professional development to support primary teachers as they explore their literacy teaching within their own school and individual classrooms. These ongoing, in-school professional development experiences aimed to support and encourage pedagogical change as the teachers reviewed their classroom teaching and learning practices with emphasis on critical literacy. The importance of the school professional culture, the organisation …
Meeting Pre-Service Teachers Where They Are: Supporting Them As Literacy Educators, Lisa K. Kervin, Barbra Mckenzie
Meeting Pre-Service Teachers Where They Are: Supporting Them As Literacy Educators, Lisa K. Kervin, Barbra Mckenzie
Faculty of Education - Papers (Archive)
Some media reports (Devine, 2005; Donnelly, 2005) have asserted that pre-service teachers often graduate without an understanding of how to teach children to read and write. In the current climate of professional milestones, national benchmarks and teaching standards for early career teachers, it is crucial that pre-service teacher education programs adequately prepare graduates for entry into the profession. This paper explores how we have tailored a final year literacy elective subject to meet the needs of our pre-service teachers and to support them in their final practicum and subsequent entry into the profession. In particular we report on the processes …