The Problems of Validation in a Competency-Based Preservice Reading Education Program.

A problem of teacher education is to successfully integrate the knowledge students learn in the college classroom with the practical experiences of student teaching. A principal objective of an ideal teacher training situation would be to establish a vertical integration of the various types of exposure to reading both prior to and during contact in classrooms with children learning how to read. An integrated time frame competency development model includes elements of information, skill development, and application. The model must be evaluated to determine its construct validity and internal consistency. Validation of the competencies required of preservice teachers is important. Studies of teacher behavior have not been consistent. The trend is to define teaching competencies in reading in terms of pupil performance in reading. An approach to the validation problems of a competency-based preservice reading education program being developed at Northwestern University consists of nine points concerning competency categories as hypotheses which must be exhaustively analyzed. (MKM)