Preparing Preservice Teachers to Teach English Language Arts & Social Studies through a Thematic Book Club Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31074/gyntf.2025.3.34.50Kulcsszavak:
interdisciplinary teaching, preservice teachers, book clubsAbsztrakt
This study describes an interdisciplinary book club project designed to prepare preservice teachers to integrate English Language Arts (ELA) and Social Studies instruction through thematic learning. The project merged reading and social studies methods courses, engaging undergraduate teacher candidates in collaborative book clubs centered on middle-grade novels. Participants read and discussed texts with strong themes of place, space, and social justice, then developed instructional plans for transitional readers in grades 3–5. The project emphasized fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills while fostering spatial awareness and critical thinking through literary and geographical analysis. Findings suggest that preservice teachers gained pedagogical insight, enhanced collaboration skills, and recognized the value of interdisciplinary teaching. The study highlights the potential of thematic book clubs to break down educational silos and promote equity-focused, standards-aligned instruction.
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