Prospective teachers’ reflection: Strategies, qualities, and perceptions in learning to teach reading

Abstract This study examined and documented mental strategies used by prospective teachers to guide reflections on course content and teaching experiences. The 30 prospective teachers were enrolled in a literacy methods course and accompanying practicum at three university sites. Double‐entry journals and oral interviews were analyzed using open coding procedures, analytic induction, and cross‐subject pattern analysis. Across sites, prospective teachers relied primarily on directing their attention to personal experiences and values to guide their reflective work and they indicated the value of their own perspective to help them remember information and make sense of course content. Implications for instruction are drawn from an analysis of the power of personal experiences, the developmental nature of reflection, and noted tendencies to adopt new strategies as the semester progressed.