Trainee teachers and academic literacy: process, pedagogy and practice

This paper examines trainee teachers’ views of academic literacy with a focus on the role of process and the concept of “becoming” in pedagogy. Often associated with Deleuzean philosophy, the practical implications of these ideas, both in teacher education and wider educational settings, are often unclear, and this paper explores their practical applications, taking academic literacy practices in a UK university as an example. Qualitative analysis of accounts selected from a cohort of interviewees (n=33), suggests three conclusions for literacy pedagogies. First, it links a distinction between process-based and product-based teaching to literacy pedagogies focused on form rather than content. Second, it discusses how process-based approaches offer relevant pedagogical choices for meaningful knowledge creation and student engagement. Third, it shows how teacher professionalism and the management of the student experience are affected by such approaches to practice. Process approaches, on the other hand, better respect growing needs for diversity in educational research and practice.