THE ATTEWD‘ES 8F P‘RGSP‘ECTIVE SECQNEARY ENGLISH TEACHERS TQWAED CERTAEN {3836523 AND IDEAS CC‘RQEENENG ENGLE$H AS A HEGH SCI-{30%. SUEIECT The“: goo Hm Degree of DB. D MICHEGAN STATE UNEVERSET‘Y Thomas P. Pietra: 3967 Ilium 0-169 This is to certify that the thesis entitled THE ATTITUDES OF PROSPECTIVE SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHERS TOWARD CERTAIN ISSUES AND IDEAS CONCERNING ENGLISH AS A HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECT presented by Thomas P. Pietras has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D. d . Education egree m._____ fiwm Jim Major professor Date fi/L’ZP /J: /;é[/7 ABSTRACT THE ATTITUDES OF PROSPECTIVE SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHERS TOWARD CERTAIN ISSUES AND IDEAS CONCERNING ENGLISH AS A HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECT by Thomas P. Pietras This study surveyed the attitudes of prOSpective high school English teachers toward certain ideas related to language, literature, and teaching. The purpose was to investigate the extent to which these future teachers could be characterized by "comfortable commitment to the estab— lished and familiar, susPicion of innovations and fads, and close—minded attitudes," a description made of "a great many high school teachers" by the Curriculum Commission of the National Council of Teachers of English. The sample con— sisted of eighty Michigan State University English teacher certification candidates. The method used was the questionnaire survey and the instruments were: (1) The English Teacher Attitude Inven— tory, a 130 item questionnaire constructed by the investi- gator and (2) Form E of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, a standardized personality test. The subjects completed the tests under supervision. The data of the ETAI provided information in the following areas: (1) Preparation for teaching language, (2) Attitudes toward traditional grammar, (3) Attitudes Thomas P. Pietras toward linguistic principles, (4) Preparation for literature teaching, (5) Philosophical attitudes toward literature, (6) Attitudes toward the objectives of literature teaching, (7) Attitudes toward poetry teaching, (8)'Attitudes toward compo- sition teaching methods, (9) Attitudes toward literature teaching methods, (10) Attitudes toward educational innova- tions, (11) Attitudes toward students and the profession. In the discussion of each area the investigator evaluated how the sample's responses appeared to accept or reject the issues represented in the items or whether their re5ponses indicated uncertainty or division of Opinion. The results of the English Teacher Attitude Inven- tory gave evidence that, on the whole, the eighty secondary English teacher candidates graduating from Michigan State University eXpressed attitudes toward language, literature, and high school teaching that indicated they accepted many of the current ideas and principles concerning these areas. Furthermore, the results of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale dis- closed that these prospective teachers could be character- ized as "Open-minded" which suggests that they approach information and new ideas with a positive attitude. There- fore, it appears that these Michigan State teacher candi- dates are Open-minded about their professional work and about life in general. However, it is necessary to point out that the ETAI has certain limitations as it appeared that the subjects had Thomas P. Pietras difficulty in rating five items because they presented moot issues. It also appeared that four items were ambiguous. A detailed discussion of these items is found in Chapter V. Also, it is now clear that certain results of the research could have been more understandable if the investi- gator had interviewed many, if not all, of the subjects. For example, on item 69 thirty-one percent feel a child can develOp literary appreciation even though he actively dis- likes the selections he is reading: it would be interesting to know the reasoning behind this attitude. Furthermore, since this study investigated the atti- tudes of the subjects after they had completed most of their training, it is difficult to determine if their teacher prep— aration program reinforced existing attitudes or helped develop new ones. In an attempt to determine what the effects of the secondary English teacher preparation program might be, a sample of candidates about to begin their studies could take the ETAI to determine their attitudes toward language, literature, and high school teaching: these same candidates could then take the ETAI as they are about to complete their training. This type of investigation might provide informa- tion concerning: (1) the attitudes of students at Michigan State who choose high school English teaching as a career; (2) the kinds of, if any, attitude changes that occur while the candidates are completing their preparation. Thomas P. Pietras Although this study has presented a description of the attitudes of prOSpective teachers, it cannot determine whether or not these attitudes will be expressed in the actual teaching behavior of these teachers. For this reason, it would be desirable to devise a follow-up study that would attempt to determine actually if these subjects will imple— ment and apply many of the attitudes they eXpressed in this study. Moreover, this study offered information on a limited sample; there is a need to investigate a larger and more diversified group of subjects to provide a more accu- rate description of the kinds of attitudes that currently trained English teachers hold. Finally, this study demonstrated that it is possible to survey the attitudes of English teachers. Also, this study indicated that the English Commission's criticism of English teachers being close-minded and suSpicious may not be true. For this reason, there is a need to survey eXperi- enced teachers to examine this possibility further. If such” an investigation, however, finds that the criticism is war— ranted, then perhaps high school teaching has done something to develOp these attitudes. Another possibility is that the current crOp of prosPective teachers may be more Open—minded than the group now teaching. Thus, a follow—up study of the Thomas P. Pietras subjects for this study in three or five years may be nec— essary to determine if teaching eXperience has precipitated any changes in their attitudes toward high school English teaching. THE ATTITUDES OF PROSPECTIVE SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHERS TOWARD CERTAIN ISSUES AND IDEAS CONCERNING ENGLISH AS A HIGH SCHOOL SUBJECT BY Thomas P? Pietras A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY College of Education 1967 §H~§HI C f)”‘)'in& Chapter II. III. IV. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . Purpose 0 O C 0 O C O O O 0 Overview . . . . . . . . . REVIEW OF RESEARCH LITERATURE Introduction . . . . . . . Attitudes . . . . . . . . . Personality . . . . . . . . Language . . . . . . . . . Literature . . . . . . . . DESIGN . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . . Instrumentation . . . . . . Sample . . . . . . . . . . Method . . . . . . . . . . Analysis of the Data . . . ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS Introduction . . . . . . . Analysis of Table l--Preparation for Teaching Language . . . . Analysis of Table 2--Attitudes Toward Traditional Grammar . . . Analysis of Table 3--Attitudes Toward Linguistic Principles . . Analysis of Table 4--Preparation for Literature Teaching . . . Analysis of Table 5--PhilosoPhica1 Attitudes Toward Literature Analysis of Table 6-eAttitudes Toward the Objectives of Literature Teaching Analysis of Table 7-eAttitudes Toward Poetry Teaching . . . . . Analysis of Table 8--Attitudes Toward Composition Teaching Methods Page map \noooowox (D F‘H 22 23 26 28 3O 32 32 32 36 39 42 44 48 53 57 Chapter Page Analysis of Table 9--Attitudes Toward Literature Teaching Methods . . . . . . . 63 Analysis of Table lO-eAttitudes Toward Educational Innovations . . . . . . . . 70 Analysis of Table ll-eAttitudes Toward Students and the Profession . . . . . . . 75 V. SUMMARY} CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS . . . 81 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Limitations of Instrument . . . . . . . . . 87 Limitations of Study . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 iv Table 1. 2. 10. 11. LIST OF TABLES Preparation for teaching language . . . . Attitudes toward traditional grammar . . . Attitudes toward linguistic principles . . Preparation for literature teaching . . . Philosophical attitudes toward literature Attitudes toward the objectives of literature teaching . . . . . . . . . . . Attitudes toward poetry teaching . . . . . Attitudes toward composition teaching methOds O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Attitudes toward literature teaching methOdS O O O C O O O O O O O O O O O O O Attitudes toward educational innovations . Attitudes toward students and the profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 33 37 4O 43 45 49 54 58 64 71 76 Appendix A. B. C. D. LIST OF APPENDICES ENGLISH TEACHER ATTITUDE INVENTORY . . . DIRECTIONS FOR PILOT SAMPLE . . . . . . RD SCALE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LETTER MAILED TO SAMPLE . . . . . . . . ENGLISH TEACHER PREPARATION (Information Sheet) 0 O 0 O O O O I O O O O O O O O O FOLLOW-UP LETTER MAILED TO SAMPLE . . . MTA CODE SHEET 0 O O O O O O O O O O 0 vi Page 97 107 108 112 113 114 115 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM In recent years there has been an increasing empha- sis on the academic and professional preparation of teachers of secondary English. This emphasis has taken the form of more courses, credit hours, and years in college. However, it appears that in Spite of these increased requirements, a significant number of teachers may be resisting innovations and current research findings with respect to the study and teaching of secondary English: Despite all the efforts of schools of education, a great many high school teachers teach the old subjects in pretty much the old ways. Inertia, comfortable commitment to the established and familiar, suspicion of innovations and fads, and close-minded attitudes, not only among the expe- rienced teachers but also among some beginners, impede if not block entirely introduction of the unsettling new. This kind of criticism is rather puzzling, for it can be assumed that students are required not only to take certain courses but also to meet certain standards of academic performance. lN'CTE COmmission on Curriculum, The Education of Teachers of English for American Schools and.Colleges, ed. by Alfred H. Grommon (New YOrk: .Appleton, Century, Crofts, 1963), p. 143. The acquisition of skills and information is not only the most generally acceptable goal of education, but it has also been the easiest to measure by means of examinations. It has often been shown by means of achievement examinations that skills and information possessed by stu- dents increase during college. So what can be the possible basis of the criticism that many teachers teach as though they did not have the benefit of the current thought and research in their field? If students increase their skills and information in college, and this must include prospective teachers, what is the pos- sible cause for the apparent lag between the acquisition of skills and information and their application in the class- room? Perhaps the answer lies in scrutinizing the following words from the first quotation: ". . . suspicion of innova- tions and fads, and close-minded attitudes. . . ." These words suggest that a very important factor in evaluating the efficiency of teachers.is their attitudes concerning the information that they are encouraged to learn and implement in their teaching. Possibly the problem lies with prospec- tive teachers of English. What are their attitudes toward language, literature, educational methods, and innovations as these relate to the high school English curriculum? A proSpective teacher of English may listen to lectures, write c0pious notes, and pass examinations, but he may not accept 2The American College, ed. by Nevitt Sanford (New York and London: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1962) p. 816. the ideas presented to him and make them an integral part of his educational philOSOphy. College and university teachers preparing English teachers have some difficulties in determining answers to such questions through the conventional academic achievement tests. However, if they had an instrument for assessing students' responses to their teacher preparation programs, perhaps they could subject their programs to sincere evalua- tion and intelligent revision. Such an instrument might be helpful as a pre-test for use with prOSpective English teach- ers entering the professional preparation program. An eval- uation of attitudes, as eXpressed through opinions, could be a helpful supplement to evaluation of attitudes as eXpressed in tests, role-playing, discussions, student teaching, and all the activities that make up a teacher preparation pro- gram. It is proposed that such an instrument take the form of an attitude questionnaire, for it is in the realm of attitudes that an individual reveals his feelings and thoughts about certain issues, things, or people. A person does not form attitudes nor eXpose himself to communication pertinent to them nor change them in a social vacuum; nor does he form attitudes just for the sake of a researcher who wants to study them. His attitudes represent established ways of relating himself to others in the very real business of living in a world peopled by other human beings. They are never divorced, in his mind, from his relationship with others who count in his eyes. They have to do with how well he gets along and whom he gets along with, how well he stacks up with others, what he desires, and what he detests. Attitudes can be a very important index of how an individual views his role in the world. For the educator, students' attitudes concerning certain academic issues, objectives, and problems can be a very important index of (how effective the educational program has been in helping students define their roles as future teachers. A researcher writing for The American College supports this view: "No evaluation of educational outcomes is adequate without appraisal of attitudes and interests and other of the more subtle aSpects of personality."4 The implication is clear: the measurement of students' knowledge cannot provide com- plete evaluation. An attitude questionnaire can be an addi- tional, important measure of the effectiveness of a prepara- tion program for teachers of English. Purpose The purpose of the investigator is to construct an attitude inventory that will indicate whether the opinions of a certain group of prospective English teachers may be characterized as "comfortable commitment to the established and familiar, suSpicion of innovations and fads, and 1Carolyn W. Sherif, Muzafer Sherif, and Roger E. Nebergall, Attitude and Attitude Change (Philadelphia and London: W. B. Saunders Company, 1965), p. 246. 4Sanford, p. 823. close-minded attitudes." These eighty proSpective English teachers, all graduating from the secondary school prepara- tion program at Michigan State University, will be asked about their attitudes toward certain issues related to language, to literature, and to teaching. Overview The following chapters will contain a review of pertinent research literature, an explanation of the design of the study, and an analysis of the results with their implications. The reader will learn the procedures used in selecting the sample and in constructing and validating the English Teacher Attitude Inventory. There will be a descrip- tion of the testing methods and the scoring of the instru- ments. The analysis and interpretation of the results will, hOpefully, be significant to those interested in using an inventory that will provide information about attitudes--a device that may supplement other kinds of information needed for evaluation of a preparation program or of the students' progress. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RESEARCH LITERATURE Introduction In reviewing the research literature, it becomes apparent that little has been done in the Specific area proposed for this study; however, there is related research that provides the theoretical rationale for it. Such research investigates teachers' attitudes related to teach- ing effectiveness. Moreover, this prOposed investigation will concentrate on attitudes of a specific group, future teachers of high school English. For this reason, certain studies that provide pertinent information about issues related to teaching high school English are included. These issues form the basis for the study of the attitudes of prOSpective English teachers toward their subject and its relation to adolescent growth and development. Attitudes One of the basic assumptions underlying teacher attitude research is that to be effective in the classroom a teacher needs more than mastery of subject matter. Sarason has stated that the central problem in education is communicating knowledge to chil- dren, and that an adult possessing knowledge is not guaranteed by this possession to be able to communicate it to children.1 This quotation indicates that a teacher must understand what the needs of students are and how they learn. There appear to be differences in the attitudes of teachers toward under— standing children and their needs when teachers are studied according to grade level and subject taught. Using the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory, Cook, Kearney, Rocchio, and Thompson conducted research which yielded the following results: High school teachers with four years of college achieved attitude scores about the same as ele— mentary school teachers with two years of prep— aration: a fifth year of study brought them up to the level of the four-year elementary school teachers. . . . Average scores varied with the subject field taught in high schools, but the number of teach— ers in each group permits only suggestions of actual differences. . . . Secondary school teachers with low scores on MTAI consistently tend to have high rates of pupil failure. . . . Fifty high school teachers liked best by their pupils made MTAI scores more tgan twice as high as fifty teachers liked least. (As a note of explanation, the reader should know that the higher the score on the MTAI the better: high scores indi- cate positive attitudes toward children and teaching.) lJean Dresden Grambs, Schools, Scholars, and Society (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1965), p. 149. 2Walter W. Cook 35 al., "Significant Factors in Teachers' Classroom Attitudes," Journal of Teacher Education, VII (1956), 274-79. These findings imply that high school teachers are not as aware of the needs of their pupils and how they learn as are elementary school teachers. In most institutions elementary and secondary teacher candidates receive differ- ent types of teacher preparation: the elementary candidate devotes more time to learning about children than does the secondary candidate; the secondary candidate usually devotes more time to learning a particular academic subject. Exist— ing research on attitudes suggests that there may be signif- icance in the way that secondary teachers, in this case future English teachers, view their subject as it relates to high school students. It may be that by having informed and open-minded attitudes concerning English as a high school subject, English teachers will be better prepared to help students benefit from the English curriculum. Therefore, since the research literature supports the view that teacher attitudes are important in the teach- ing-learning process and since teacher attitude research has proved reliable in evaluating the effectiveness of teachers, the present study is pertinent and can perhaps establish a fresh approach to the study of English teachers' attitudes toward their subject. Personality. While investigating attitudes, a researcher must also consider personality measurement: They (opinions) are an integral part of person- ality. If opinions are thus inseparable from the rest of personality, then our task is made clear. Not only must we describe Opinions; we must also investigate how they are related to other aspects of the person's life. And from the Handbook of Research on Teaching: Personality is a more or less enduring organiza- tion of forces within the individual which helps to determine responses in various situations. The forces of personality are not responses but readiness for reSponse, and it is largely to them that consistency in behavior--verba1 or physical-- is attributable. The most extensive study of teachers to date, a teacher characteristics study by Ryans, states: ". . . emo- tional stability or adjustment inevitably must be considered in relation to other teacher characteristics."5 Ryans' find— ings concerning emotional stability (adjustment) versus instability are as follows: "Boys' physical education teach— ers scored higher, and Grades 7—8 teachers, and women teach- ers of foreign language, English, mathematics, and social studies scored lower. . . . Within the secondary school, women teachers of English and foreign language scored lower."6 3M. Brewster Smith, Jerome S. Bruner, and.Robert W. White, Qpinions and Personality (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1956), p. l. 4Handbook of Research on Teaching, ed. by N. L. Gage (Chicago: Rand McNally and Company, 1963), p. 522. 5David G. Ryans, Characteristics of Teachers (Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1960), p. 153. 6Ibid., p. 327. 10 In Chapter I, the initial quotation criticized English teachers for their "suspicion of innovations and close-minded attitudes." In addition to this, the Ryans' study indicates that English teachers tended to score low on emotional adjustment. Furthermore, research findings state ". . . verbal responses of teachers to statements on an opinion—attitude scale for measuring authoritarianism and teachers' overt behavior in the classroom toward pupils are positively correlated."7 Therefore, an inventory designed to obtain informa- tion about the attitudes of teachers toward their subject ought to be used in conjunction with an instrument that reveals information about the personality of the teachers. Narrow-minded attitudes toward English may point to the need for a preparation program that considers the personality of each teacher as well as his knowledge of subject matter. Such data will be gathered through Form E-of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, a standardized personality test measuring close-mindedness. Language One of the major areas of English teacher attitude concern is language teaching. There has been ample research in this area and the following review contains representa- tive ideas regarding this aSpect of the high school English 7Gage, p. 522. 11 program: many of these ideas formed the basis for the - English Teacher Attitude Inventory. That an understanding of grammar is related to the development of skill in speech and writing has been one of the most consistenely held beliefs in the history of education, originat- ing in the philOSOphical and educational theo- ries of the Greeks. In current practice, also, most teachers appear to assume that teaching grammar and usage is an important phase of teaching composition, for surveys of classroom methods have confirmed the fact that grammatical analysis and terminology receive a great deal of attention in English classrooms throughout the nation. This quotation eXpresses the view of many English teachers regarding an approach to teaching language and composition: however, what kind of grammar should be the basis of this teaching? Is it to be the traditional, analytical, prescriptive grammar of BishOp Robert Lowth _gg.§l. based on ancient Greek and Latin, or is it to be one of the newer grammars that are based on scientific linguis- tic study and research? This question has been the source of much controversy for many years. The advocates of tradi- tional analytical grammar eXpress their attitudes toward language in the following representative quotations: A vast amount of wretched English is heard in this country. The remedy does not lie in the repeal of the rules of grammar; but rather in a stricter and more intelligent enforcement of those rules in our schools. . . . This protest against traditional usage and the rules of gram- mar is merely another manifestation of the un- fortunate trend of the times to lawlessness in every direction. . . . Since . . . ninety-five 8Ibid., p. 974. 12 percent of all children and teachers come from homes or communities where incorrect English is used, nearly everyone has before him the long, hard task of overcoming habits set up early in life before he studied language and grammar in school. These quotations illustrate the attitude that lan- guage is concrete and unchanging, that it has inflexible rules of correctness, and that to break one of the rules is to lay bare one's ignorance. On the other side of the controversy are the scien- tific views held by a great number of English language scholars; these views are typically expressed in the follow- ing manner: The grammar of a language is not a list of rules imposed upon its speakers by scholastic author— ities, but is a scientific record of the actual phenomena of that language, written and spoken. If any community habitually uses certain forms of speech, these forms are part of the grammar of the speech of that community. . . . A gram- mar book does not attempt to teach people how they ought to speak, but on the contrary, unless it is very bad or a very old work, it merely states how, as a matter of fact, certain peop6e do Speak at the time at which it is written. These quotations illustrate the attitude that language is abstract and changing, that it does not conform to arbitrary, inflexible rules of correctness, and that it is human inso- far as it is a living thing that continually grows, changes, 9IssuesLProblemsLa d Approaches in the Teaching of English, ed. by George W. Stone, Jr. (New Ybrk: Holt, Rine- hart and Winston, 1961), p. 69. 10Ibid., p. 71. 13 and develops. The scientific view stresses the idea that grammar evolves from the way that people actually use the language. The traditionalist view stresses the idea that language has rules that exist apart from the way pe0p1e may choose to use the language, and it is the obligation of people to learn these rules, otherwise they are guilty of misusing the language. As a result of the traditionalist view there have appeared from time to time lists of solecisms or items of general usage that are considered incorrect: it was consid— ered the obligation of English teachers to instruct students not to use them. This position encouraged linguists to investigate the feasibility and applicability of this tradi— tionalist stand. In one of the pioneer studies, Current English Usage, Sterling A. Leonard asked linguists, English teachers, authors, editors, business men, members of the Modern Language Association, and Speech teachers to judge the acceptability in English usage of 102 questionable eXpreSSions. Mr. Leonard then asked only linguists and English teachers to judge in like fashion 130 additional eXpressionS. The Summary Sheet of Ballots for the study reveals that the English teachers tend to be more conserva- tive than the linguists in the acceptance of these eXpres- sions as they gave lower rankings than the linguists on 117 of the 232 eXpressionS. "Many teachers . . . conceive of rules in grammar as laws to which language must conform, in 14 the same way that the man in the street conceives of physi- 11 cal laws as governing the behavior of matter." Another classic study in this area is the American English Grammar of C. C. Fries. Out of his study of hun- dreds of letters written by educated and uneducated people, he evolved three major principles for a sound program in English. A. We must agree upon the kind of English which it is the obligation of the schools to teach. . . . B. We must agree to base our teaching upon an accurate, realistic description of the actual practices of informal Standard English and eliminate from our language programs all those matters of diSpute for which there is any considerable usage in informal Standard English. . . . C. We must agree to stimulate among our pupils observation of actual usage and to go as far as possible in giving them a practical equip— ment for this purpose. One of the more recent language usage studies is Thurston Womack's "Teachers' Attitudes Toward Current Usage" and the results of his study prompted him to state that: ". . . the 'battle of usage' has not been won."12 Among his findings the following are most pertinent to this study: llAlbert H. Marckwardt and Fred Walcott, Facts About Current English Usage (New York: Appleton-Century, 1938), p. 134. 12C. C. Fries, American English Grammar (New YOrk: Appleton-Century, 1940), pp. 289—92. 15 . . . in general the majority of teachers still reject most usages that published information tends to support as acceptable. . . . Many teachers in the survey felt that English teach- ers are obligated to hold a conservative view toward language change. . . . Other teachers succinctly label the items as "incorrect gram- mar." Some comment that the line must be held or "these errors . . . will continue to exist." The "rules of grammar" are often cited, and frequent misuse, it is claimed, is no justifi- cation for grammatical errors. . . . At least one college teacher blames poor instruction in language for the ignorance of high school and elementary school teachers, and in turn, crit- icizes the poor education they receive in teacher—training institutions. In relation to the learning of acceptable usage is the view that if students learn the rules of traditional grammar, they will learn correct usage. Percival Symonds investigated thiS.idea in a highly technical research study titled, "Practice Versus Grammar in the Learning of Correct Usage." At the conclusion of his investigation of tradi- tional grammar study he states: "In the writer's opinion it is relatively unprofitable for the average child either to study grammar as a means for learning correct usage . . . or as a means of summarizing the correct usage which one has learned."1'4 13Thurston Womack, "Teachers' Attitudes Toward Current Usage," English Journal, XLVIII (April, 1959), 186. 4Percival Symonds, "Practice Versus Grammar in the Learning of Correct Usage," Journal of Educational Psyghol- ogy, XXII, No. 2 (February, 1931), 94. 16 Also related to grammar study is the idea that rigorous training in traditional grammar will enable stu- dents to write correct compositions. In the publication, Research in Written Composition, sponsored by the National Council of Teachers of English, there is a report of a study in this area by Roland J. Harris. He investigated the rela- tive teaching usefulness of formal grammar in helping stu- dents to write correctly as opposed to a method which used no grammar book nor drill on parts of Speech nor memoriza— tion of terminology; instead, the teacher took up problems of sentence structure, paragraph writing, and usage errors as they came up in the students' compositions: these stu— dents also devoted more class time to actual writing. The research was based on writing done before and after a two year period of instruction, and the students came from a wide range of schools and socio-economic backgrounds. The major conclusion of the investigator was: The failure to profit from instruction in tradi— tional formal grammar is not confined to any one educational environment or category of children. It seems safe to infer that the study of English grammatical terminology had a negligible or even a relatively harmful effect upon the correctness of children's writing in the early part of the five Secondary Schools. 15Roland J. Harris, "An EXperimental Inquiry into the Functions and Value of Formal Grammar in the Teaching of English, with Special Reference to the Teaching of Correct Written English to Children Aged Twelve to Fourteen," BET search in Written Composition, ed. by Richard Braddock, Lloyd-Jones, and Lowell Schoer (Champaign, Illinois: Na- tional Council of Teachers of English, 1963), p. 83. 17 Therefore, it appears that there is a considerable amount of significant research to support the position that language exists because of people and it is they who deter— mine how it will operate by the way they use it in Spoken and written communication. Furthermore, the study of tradi- tional analytical grammar does not produce the results its proponents claim for it. Thus, it is relevant to this study to investigate the attitudes of prOSpective teachers of secondary English toward these issues of teaching. Literature Within the last fifty years the debate over what literature to teach in America's secondary schools has intensified and it appears that an issue at stake is whether or not there really is a clearly defined line between "good" and "bad" literature. It appears that "good" literature means the age-old classics which supposedly transmit to stu- dents a cultural and humanistic heritage that cannot be obtained from reading contemporary or popular works: the classics are also purported to help develOp character in pupils by exposing them to themes such as courage, honesty, and industry, among others. As a result of this view, the literature curricula of our secondary schools have tradition- ally stressed the teaching of such selections as Silas Marner, Ivanhoe, Tale of Two Cities, and David Copperfield. 18 To provide some insight into this belief, Professor David Russell in "Some Research on the Impact of Reading" presents a concise summary of research concerning the assump- tion that reading influences the behavior of the reader and, in this case, the school-age reader. As a result of the seventy-three documented research references, his general conclusion appears in the following form: We have never had a complete demonstration that a story of courage and friendship will communi- cate ideas of courage and friendship to every reader, much less result in courageous or friendly behavior. In the scientific sense, at least, teachers can no longer talk of "good books for children" as if some books were "good" for all adolescents or children. About the best we can attempt to present is the right book for the right person at the right time. The reader himself, his attitudes and personality, intrude into tpg picture and affect the impact of the print. This study supports the view that the reader is an important factor in the literature program; it also supports teachers who wish to use contemporary and pOpular books which may be more appropriate for some students than are the classics. In support of the Russell study there is James Squire's attempt to learn what happens to pupils as they read literary selections and what this means for secondary English teachers. 16David H. Russell, "Some Research on the Impact of Reading," English Journal, LXVII (October, 1958), 409-410. 19 One of the more interesting findings iS the strong positive correlation between percentages of responses labelled literary judgment and self-involvement, indicating that readers who become extensively involved in stories are also inclined to evaluate the literary qualities of a selection. . . . The quality of individual interpretation was found to be generally unrelated to the intelli— gence and reading ability of the subjects. Stereotyped reactions are found as often among intelligent able readers as are incisive, penetrating observations. . . . The findings of this study suggest that ratings on a standardized reading test . . . do not offer a reliable index of the ability of readers to interpret literary selections. 7 Besides supporting the view of reader involvement, these findings imply that_teachers should use literature of various types and reader interest levels. The common read- ing eXperience can be very valuable in helping students understand what they read. But teachers Should not rely solely on standardized tests to determine the potential reading ability of students, Since such scores cannot take reader interest into account. Once teachers decide on what literature to teach, they then must determine how to teach it—-through intensive or extensive methods or through a combination of both. In An Evaluation of Extensive and Intensive Teaching of Litera— ture, Nancy Coryell reports on her testing of these methods 17James R. Squire, The ReSponseS of Adolescents While Readinngour Short Stories (Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1964), p. 51. 20 to determine which would best help students attain the goals of comprehension and appreciation of literature. Method number one is the extensive, characterized by the rapid reading of a relatively large amount of literature with general comments and discussions in class; method number two is the intensive, characterized by the detailed, analytical study.of a relatively small amount of literature. The find- ings of importance and interest for all teachers of English are as follows: Since the extensive-reading classes scored approximately the Same as the intensive-study classes it seems that the extensive-study classes obtained from their year's work in literature as much training in appreciation and comprehension of literature and vocabulary as did the intensive- study class. They also received good preparation for examinations. In addition, they had the Opportunity to read and discuss six times as much literature. Besides these results the extensive-study classes talked eighteen percent more of the time during class discus- sion than did the intensive-study class; they also related the literature to their own eXperienceS and lives. A study of model units, such as those in Teaching Language and Literature by Loban, Ryan, and Squire, reveals that in some schools teachers today are using a combination 18Nancy Coryell, An Evaluation of Extensive and Intensive Teaching of Literature (New YOrk: Teachers Col- lege, Columbia University, 1927), p. 32. 21 of intensive and extensive methods with a minimum of the first and considerable emphasis on the latter. Thus, research shows that the teacher of literature must consider the reader and his interests in helping him to appreciate and understand what he reads. Furthermore, there is nothing inherently magic in certain "good" books that by their nature will enable students to become better persons. Teachers do not have to exhaustively analyze one or two books to help students gain literary appreciation: students can accomplish this while reading any number of books. It is, therefore, pertinent to this study to investigate the attitudes of prOSpective teachers of secondary English toward the selection of literature and approaches to use in teaching it. In summary, studies pertinent to this research are of two types: (1) those concerning attitudes and personal- ity in relation to teaching effectiveness and (2) those con- cerning basic issues in the teaching of language and litera— ture. The studies in the first category provide the ratio- nale for attitude and personality research as related to teaching and illustrate the value that educators place on this type of research. The studies in the second category provide information concerning some of the issues and ideas related to the teaching of English in high school. CHAPTER III DESIGN Introduction Because the emphasis of this study is on the atti- tudes of pe0p1e--prOSpective high school English teachers, it is classified as survey research. ". . . survey research focuses on people, the vital facts of people, and their beliefs, opinions, attitudes, motivations, and behavior."1 Survey research is well suited to obtaining information about the ability and preparation of teachers of English. Survey research is probably best adapted to obtaining personal and social facts, beliefs, and attitudes. It is significant that, although hundreds of thousands of words are Spoken and written about education and about what people presumably think about education, there is little dependable information on the subject. We simply do not know what people's attitudes toward education are. We have to depend on feature writers and so-called eXperts for this information. Survey informagion can help answer . . . educational questions. The following discussion of the design will focus first on the instrumentation, second on the sample, third lFred N. Kerlinger, Foundations of Behavioral Research (New Ybrk: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1964), p. 394. 21bid., p. 112. 22 23 on the method, and finally on the proposed analysis of the data. Instrumentation It was necessary to construct a questionnaire to obtain information about attitudes toward language, litera— ture, educational methods and innovations. The following are examples of sources of books, journals, and course out- lines which provided this information: Hans P. Guth's English Today and Tomorrow; Loban, Ryan, and Squire's Teach- ing Language and Literature; Joseph Mersand's Attitudes Toward Teaching English; Bernstein's The Teaching of English in High School; the objectives of teaching high School English as stated by the Project English staff of Michigan State University. Then came the formulation of statements reflecting research findings and authoritative opinions. The resultant one hundred and thirty statements were submitted to two University instructors who had taught secondary school English and who were then teaching the related college methods course. They made constructive criticisms regarding possible ambiguity of meaning, the value of particular items, and the omission of pertinent areas. The final revised English Attitude Inventory consti- tutes Appendix A. A subject using the questionnaire is eXpected to read each statement and then indicate how strongly he agrees 24 or disagrees, or whether he is uncertain about it. Greater variance results from this kind of summated rating scale where all items are of approximately equal "attitude value."3 Another advantage is that a subject's reSponse to one item does not depend on his response to another item. The scores of the items of this type of scale can be totaled and aver— aged to yield the sample's attitude score on any given item: also, the scores on each degree of choice for each item can be totaled and averaged to yield the sample's intensity of attitude eXpression on each item. Kerlinger supports the use of this scale as he states: "The summated rating scale seems to be the most useful in behavioral research."4 To determine how clear and pertinent the statements were to the teaching of secondary English and how well sub— jects could evaluate them, a pilot study of the English Teacher Attitude Inventory was made with a group of eXperi— enced high school English teachers. Following arrangements by Mr. Frank E. Ross, Director of English for the Oakland County Schools of Michigan, fifty teachers of secondary English in the Pontiac Public School System volunteered to participate. The compilation of the percentage of their choices for each item indicated the items were clear and decisions could be made on all of them. 31bid., p. 484. 4Ibid., p. 487. 25 In order to provide information concerning the criticism that English teachers are close-minded and suSpi- cious of innovations, the subjects for the study were to take Form E of The Rokeach Dogmatism Scale (see Appendix C). Kerlinger writes about the scale: Rokeach, on the basis of rather involved the- oretical reasoning, constructed the D scale. This instrument consists of a number of items that he believed would tap closed-mindedness, a way of thinking presumably associated with any ideology regardless of content. Central to Rokeach's formulation is the notion that the ideological orientations of individuals are related to their personalities, thought processes, and behaviors. Rokeach explains its use: . . . the subjects indicate disagreement or agreement with each item on a scale ranging from -3 to +3, with 0 point excluded in order to force reSponses toward disagreement or agreement. The scale is subsequently con- verted, for scoring purposes, to a l to 7 scale by adding a constant of 4 to each item score. The total score is the sum of the scores obtained on all items in the test.6 A high score indicates high dogmatism, or close-mindedness, whereas a low score indicates low dogmatism, or open-minded— ness . 5Ibid., p. 452. 6Milton Rokeach, The Open and Closed Mind (New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1960), p. 118. 26 Sample For selection of the participants in the study, the University student teaching office provided the student teaching assignments for fall, 1965; winter, 1966; and Spring, 1966. The names of students assigned to teach secondary English were checked against the registrar's grad- uation lists for fall, 1965, and winter, 1966, eliminating those who had graduated. The remaining names were those of secondary English teacher candidates who were about to begin or who had completed student teaching; thus they were near graduation since the earliest they can do student teaching is as third term juniors. To make certain that the sample had Similar educa- tional backgrounds, it was decided that each candidate should have completed one hundred and sixty hours of the one hundred and eighty hour graduation requirement which meant that he would have completed at least two thirds of his English program. Since a candidate had or was about to student teach, he had necessarily completed his professional educational requirements which include the methods of teach- ing secondary English and the attainment of a minimum 2.0 accumulative average. So students who would be student teaching at the time of the study could benefit as much as possible from their eXperience, they did not participate until they completed a minimum of Six weeks of their ten week student teaching requirement. 27 On the basis of these criteria, eighty candidates qualified as subjects for the study. Of these, seven were men: seventy-three were women; forty-seven had student taught: thirty-three were student teaching. Thirty-two subjects (40%) earned a GPA of between 2.00-2.499, twenty-two (27%) between 2.50-2.999, fifteen (19%) between 3.00-3.499, eleven (14%) between 3.50-3.999. By comparison there is the following information obtained from the Registrar's records concerning the academic achieve- ment of one hundred and sixty English teacher graduates rep— resenting the Michigan State Spring commencements from 1962 to 1964. Forty-four graduates (27%) earned a GPA of 2.00- 2.499, forty-eight (30%) a 2.50—2.999, fifty-one (32%) a 3.00-3.499, seventeen (1L%) a 3.50-3.999. Although the present sample contains 13% more students in the lowest quarter of GPA range than does the comparison sample, this percentage is not significant enough to raise serious doubts about their representativeness. On the whole it is felt that the subjects for this study are academically quite typical of the students graduating from the University's English teacher preparation program. The dogmatism investigation provided insight about the possible closemindedness of the subjects. The dogmatism scores of these eighty prOSpective teachers yield a mean of 134.2 and a standard deviation of 20.99 with a range of 76 to 177. Rokeach does not report any standardized mean score 28 and standard deviation for his instrument but he does sug- gest that researchers using his scale can refer to Table 4.3 on pages 90-91 in his book, The gpen and Closed Mind, as he states: "- . . in Table 4.3 are the means and standard deviations obtained. These normative data Should be helpful to others who might want to use the Dogmatism Scale."7 This table provides data on the means and standard deviations of five experimental groups that used Form E of his scale, and they yield an average mean of 142.3 and an average standard deviation of 25.8. Using the criterion of one standard deviation above the mean to signify high dogmatism (close— mindedness), it is clear that the eighty subjects of this study have lower scores than Rokeach's subjects because his data yield 168 or above as a score of high dogmatism whereas the data of this study yield 155 or above as a score of high dogmatism. Furthermore, using the Rokeach score of 168 as a reference score for close-mindedness, only six of the eighty subjects for this study could be classified close-minded. These results suggest that, on the whole, the subjects of this investigation are open-minded individuals. 14212229 This investigation altered the usual questionnaire research by not using the mail to obtain the subjects' 7Milton Rokeach, The Oppn and Closed Mind (New Ybrk: Basic Books, Inc., 1960), pp. 90-91. 29 responses: they filled out the English Teacher Attitude Inventory and the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale under supervision. The students that made up the sample received a letter (see Appendix D) that eXplained the nature and purpose of the study and invited them to participate by filling out and returning an enclosed English Teacher Preparation Informa- tion Sheet (see Appendix E). The purpose of the information sheet was to provide data that would enable the investigator to make an appointment to meet with the student at his uni- versity office or, if applicable, at the student's partic- ular student teaching center. Both follow-up letters (see Appendix F) and telephone calls came next. By the end of several weeks, all students selected for the study had com- municated their desire to participate. When a student arrived for his appointment he received the following directions: 1. Please write your name and student number at the t0p of each questionnaire. 2. Your responses are confidential; your name is needed for research purposes only. 3. Be honest and sincere in your answers; answer as you feel, not as you think I or some of your instructors might want you to. 4. Do not Spend too much time pondering the statements: usually your initial reaction is your true one. 5. Read the directions for each questionnaire carefully before you begin. 6. Thank you for your c00peration and help; you can be sure that you have been instrumental in the success of this study. 30 Three offices were available for the testing periods and this enabled the students to have privacy during their task and made it convenient for the researcher to oversee their performance and to collect their questionnaires as soon as they completed them; this also prevented the stu- dents from seeking help or advice from others. Students were allowed as much time as they needed to complete the questionnaires. To test the student teachers in the sample, the Michigan State University Student Teaching Coordinators granted permission to visit their centers during the weekly seminars to administer the questionnaires. All the coordi- nators were very c00perative and helpful: in fact, five of them volunteered to supervise the testing according to the Specifications of the study and their assistance was accepted. All these coordinators are full time faculty members of the University. Analysis of the Data To quantify the subjects' responses on the ETAI for use in a computer, the following numerical code was developed: Strongly Agree = 1, Agree = 2, Undecided = 3, Disagree = 4, Strongly Disagree = 5. Then each subject's response on each of the items of the ETAI was punched on IBM cards and run through the computer. 31 The computer provided the average score for each statement on the English Teacher Attitude Inventory, e.g., number one may equal 2.0, which reveals that the majority agree with it. The computer also provided the percentage of choices on each item according to the range of strongly agree to strongly disagree: this reveals the diversity of the sample's judgments and provides a more detailed view of how they regard the issue represented by the item. This is the manner in which the attitudes, as measured by the ETAI, of Michigan State University's pro- Spective secondary English teachers was assessed. ‘ CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS Introduction An analysis of these prOSpective teachers' responses to the English Teacher Attitude Inventory provided data (1) Preparation for teaching (3) which formed eleven tables: language, (2) Attitudes toward traditional grammar, Attitudes toward linguistic principles, (4) Preparation for literature teaching, (5) PhiloSOphical attitudes toward (6) Attitudes toward the objectives of litera— literature , (8) (7) Attitudes toward poetry teaching, ture teaching, (9) Attitudes Attitudes toward composition teaching methods, toward literature teaching methods, (10) Attitudes toward educational innovations, (ll) Attitudes toward students and the profession. The statements in each table are listed with the sample's responses by number and percentage in the range of Strongly agree to strongly disagree. An analysis and a dis- CuSsionof the data follow each of the eleven tables. Analxsis of Table l--Preparation f&'-'_'I‘e ach inLLanguaHE From this data it is apparent that, on a personal level! the majority of these future English teachers eXpress 32 33 m~.H H m~.HH m m~.HH m ms.mm he om.sa an .mmmsmcmH mo scoum mnu can: can .Hmuo new songs”; .coHuHmOQEOU Luflz pocuoocou xafluMmmmumc on pasocm mowzommu Lmaamcm Hoocom >uo0coowm mo unmm 0000 d .moa mh.m m 0m.h 0 mn.m m 00.00 mg 00.0w 0H .mchummu new COADMHmmmuQ uHmLu mo uumm mm muaumflsmcfla CH xuOB mmusoo wEom mxmu Ou pwuflsgmu On pazozm nmflamcm Hoocom Swan 00 mumnummu m>auomam0um Had .mc 00.0v mm m~.0m 0m m>.ma AH mn.m n m~.H a .uohmE :mflamcm >u0>o mo monascou on pasonm umEEmum canon 00 AUSum 4 .Ag mm.am ha 00.mm mm 00.0H m mn.mm 0H 00.0H m .Lmflamcm mo mumcomwu new mwbamasvmu long mm ESHDUfiuuDU momaaoo mzu ca cofluflmOQEoo 0cm .OMSDmumuHH .umEEMum cmflamcm CH mmmusou Hmcofluappm >3 poomHQou 0cm omumcfleflam on pasocm momusoo coHumo50m .hm 0 0 m>.m~ 0H 00.0H m 00.00 0v m~.0 m .mcHuHu3 comma OD pmcamuu xamumsqoom H600 H .v mm.a a 00.0H m mN.H H 0m.~v gm 00 mg 0m .mucmfluomxm mHQMLSmmmHQ m mcauflu3 chw H .m om.s o oo.m~ Om ma.ma Ha mn.mv mm oo.oH m umEEmum rmflnmcm comm» 0» cmummmum Samumswmom Hmmu H .m mm.am SH 00.00 0v 0m.m N mn.ma Ha 0m.m m .uoom .oEHu ucmmmum on» no .mH wmmsmcma :maamcm ecu wo mmpmHBOCx >2 .a X .02 X .02 X .02 X .02 X .02 wmummmwo xamcouum owummmao cfimuumocs omu0¢ moumd xamcouuw mmmnmcma mcfisommu new c0aumumamum .H manna 34 positive attitudes concerning their knowledge and use of the English language as 81.25%}feel they have a good knowledge of the language; 87.50% enjoy writing, and 66.25% think they can adequately teach writing. However, 32.50% feel inadequately prepared to teach English grammar and 13.75%.fee1 uncertain. An examination of transcripts reveals a possible reason: all but two stu— dents had taken only one course in grammar. However, the reactions on the inventory do not reveal whether the need is for additional learning eXperiences or for a change in the existing ones. Hans P. Guth writing about the English teachers's involvement in language study states: To participate responsibly in such developments, [the linguistic approach to teaching language] the teacher of English must know enough about relevant current work to make informed choices. He should have had at least one course in the history of the language, to acquaint him with the methods and findings of traditional philol— ogy. . . . He should have had at least one course in applied English linguistics, if pos-. sible containing a contrastive analysis of the most important proposed grammatical systems. . . . Such a program for achieving minimum competence in an area crucial to English as a discipline is not an unfair or one-sided imposition. . . . Literature cannot be divorced from its linguis- tic medium any more than language can be divorced from its human significance. lHans P. Guth, English Today and Tomorrow (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964), p. 72. 35 This quotation emphasizes the present position of many leaders in the field of secondary English. The major- ity of the sample agree as 82.50% feel that all English majors should be required to take course work in linguistics as part of their teacher preparation program. By contrast, 90% do not think it important for English majors to study Latin grammar. These attitudes indicate an awareness of the current views concerning language study which pr0pose that there is little relationship between Latin and English gram- mar and that linguistics offers a scientific basis for the understanding of our grammar. Concerning the value of professional education courses, the sample is somewhat divided: even though 56.23% are in favor of them, 33.75% are not and 10% are uncertain. There is no question that a teacher must know his subject matter in order to teach it, but he must also have knowledge of how to teach it and this means he must know something about how students learn. J. N. Hook states: ". . . we have moved to an understanding of the fact that the verb Egggg_takes two objects: We teach somebody somethipg. Neither the subject nor the child can be disregarded."2 Since 33.75% of the sample for this study would eliminate the professional education courses and 10.00% are uncertain, 2J. N. Hook, The Teaching of High School English (New YOrk: The Ronald Press Company, 1965), p. 34. 36 it appears that many question the value of at least some, if not all, of these courses. Thus, these prOSpective high school English teachers SXpress attitudes that show they have confidence in their personal knowledge of the language and their ability to write; however, only a slight majority indicate they are confident of their ability to teach English grammar. A sub- stantial majority indicate that linguistic study is impor- tant but not Latin grammar. Although the majority eXpress positive attitudes toward the value of professional educa- tion courses, many question the value of some, if not all, of these courses. Analysis of Table 2—eAttitudes Toward Traditional Grammar The data of Table 2 clearly show that the majority of these English teacher candidates eXpress negative atti- tudes toward certain ideas and principles concerning tradi- tional grammar, e.g., 82.50% would not devote much time to teaching traditional grammar; 85.00% do not equate compe- tence in grammar with competence in thinking. These atti- tudes reflect current opinion as Hans P. Guth states: "Obviously, the road away from the full-fledged traditional grammar is a one way street."3 The majority's attitudes also reflect an awareness of the idea that language does not 3Guth, p. 72. 37 ma.m m mn.m s oo.m a 00.6» cm cm.~H oH .ucmsocu mumameoo m mmoumxw guru .mumu«nmum 6cm uuoflnsm m mcH>mc .mpuo3 wo macho M ma mocmucom m .m¢ om.s~ mm m~.6¢ an m~.H~ SH oo.m a o o .SHumaoum umsummou uHH sumem 00 muumm mnu HHS umnu 0mm On mwucoucwm uHmLu mcwcafimxm 00 anmn may muwsvum HHHz mucoCSDm umcu 0w mcHEEMLmMHU new mcwmumm mo mcHnumwu mnu Ou Susumu Cu HHw3 on 04:03 uH .hv 00.0m gN 0m.Nv cm 0m.ha «H 00.0H m 0 0 .mmmms uumuuou Ou >m3 ummuuocm on» on me HmoHocHEuou HmoHDMEEML0 Ho mmpmH3ocx .mg 0m.hH wH mN.0m 0N 0m.hH cH mn.mN MN 0 0 .comem Ho muumm uLmHm mcu mcHHmp 0cm mam: 0» mHnm ummmH on on pHsozm wmumspmum Hoonum 50H; HH< .mv cm.s~ mm om.~m Nv m~.HH o ma.m a o o .ommsmcmH cmeuoH m mchummH SH uCMquQEH om ma aw wmsmomn umEEmum HmcoHuHOMHu comma umDE mumnommu gmHchm .Nv m>.mN MN mn.mm mv 00.0H m m>.m m mn.m m .ESHSUHuuso LmHHmcm ocu SH mEHu ouoa mpmo: DH .xHucmsgomcou "HMEEMHo SH coHuODuumcH mH cmHHmcm unwcummu mo uumm ummpums 0:8 .mm mN.Hm mN mh.mm mv 0m.NH 0H 0m.N N 0 0 .HHMMUHU xchu Ou HuHHHnm mcu cuH3 0cm; SH can: mmom udEEMum anHmcm HmcoHqumuu SH oucwummeou .cm oo.oH m om.s~ mm ma.mm am mn.mm mm o o .uomuumnm .m>auuosaou .uoaoum .coEEouulmuumm use“ OucH pmpH>Hp on coo mcsoc HH< .om mN.Hm HQ 0m.Nv vm m>.m m 0m.N N 0 0 .mLODHu3 coco OEOUOD HHH3 >o£u .umeeoum HmcoHqumuu umumme coo muSUOSDm HH .mH mh.m~ MN ms.mm Hm ms.mz ms ma.ma HH 0 o .mcmHm can Smflamascoaaoo ou mumumcumon HHH3 LmaHmcw .moHsu 00 Dew mmwomum m unocqu .m mN.0m 0N 00.mm 0N mN.HN NH 0m.n 0 0 0 .umEEmum Doouuou Ho mcoHumHuumwum gnu cu cuauwu m «0 now: SH xHomumH .H0uwcwm CH .mH momfiwcwa smHHmcm 0:9 .h mN.Ho 0v mn.nm 5N mN.a H mh.m m 0 0 .mxoon umEEmuv HmcoHqumuu ocu CH ucmSMD mH DH mm smHHocm ouwu3 oHsocm 0co>um>m umzu 0>oHHmn H .m fl .02 R. .02 X .02 8 .oz K .02 noanmHo >Hocouum mouoamHo SHMuumucD moumd omnod mecOuum uMEEmut HmcoHuHUMuu pum3ou mopSuHuuc .N anma 38 conform to an arbitrary set of absolute rules of correctness, as 71.25% do not think English needs the prescriptive rules of traditional grammar and 67.50% do not fear English will degenerate without these rules. Their attitudes also reflect views that are in accord with some of the research, such as that of Harris, reported in Chapter II of this study: 93.75% do not think knowledge of traditional grammar will make stu- dents good writers. The Symonds investigation supports the 72.50% who do not think the learning of definitions of gram- matical terminology will help students identify correct usage. However, the sample did appear to be contradictory and divided on statements relating to two specific tradi- tional grammar definitions as 82.50% accept the traditional definition of a sentence and 28.75%.accept the traditional classification of nouns with 33.75% uncertain. This is dif- ficult to understand in view of their other responses but a possible eXplanation may be that these two definitions are the more common and more used traditional definitions which means that the sample probably is very familiar with them. Therefore, their acceptance or uncertainty could be the result of response set which implies they reacted to these definitions on the basis of past eXperience without thinking about them in the context of the present. On the other hand, it could be that although the majority of the sample has come to reject certain ideas about traditional grammar, they 39 still do not feel comfortable rejecting definitions which are basic to its system. However, these are only hunches and more information than is here is needed to deduce any plausible answer or theory concerning this situation. Thus, the majority of these eighty English teacher candidates eXpress attitudes toward certain ideas about traditional grammar that reflect the views of many leaders in the field of secondary English and that receive support from research in this area. Apalysis of Table 3-HAttitudes Toward Lipguistic Principles The analysis of the data in Table 3 makes it clear that the majority of the sample for this study eXpress posi- tive attitudes toward some of the current approaches to language study. For example, 98.75%‘believe that language changes with the times and their conditions: 85.00% agree that the meaning of words is tied to context and 65.00% disagree with the idea that there is one correct way to pronounce any given word: 71.20% disagree that the dictionary is the ultimate judge of the acceptability of an item of usage; 92.50% believe that students need to understand how to use apprOpriateness as the standard for good language. On the other hand, these future teachers appear to exhibit a real division of opinion concerning the more com— plex linguistic principles of pitch, stress, and juncture in determining punctuation and sentence structure as 36.25% 4O oo.mm cm mm.00 mm ma.0 a o o o o .mmmsmc0H 0:0 00 coHu000Hu0u00 0 0H 0:0 00£mHHn0um0 :0 mo me0n 0:0 so 0003 30c 0 00 m: mcflxme 0:9 .mN o o m~.H H mm.0 m om.n0 am oo.mm om .mmmsmcmH 080 new 0000cmum 0:0 m0 000C000Hnmoummm 0m: 00 3o: CH00H on 0000 00:0050m .NN mN.0 m mN.Hm mN mN.0N HN m>.mm 0N 0m.N N .CmHHmcm c0xomm SH 0uSuucsn 0:0 .000000 .LODHQ 00 mCH0000Q 0>u0mno 00 0HSHHOH 0 00 0:0 SOH00SDUCSQ CH 000000 050 005005000 00c0uc0m SH muoun0 no: 000 00:0E00uw 00cwuc0m .HN o o oo.oH 0 oo.m a mm.0m ms ma.0~ mm .00 mm: oniooa nofic3 cH A03 0:0 EOHH 00000 mch00E 0H00HH m0£ 0003 4 .NH 00.0N 0H 0m.nv 0m mn.mH HH m>.0H mH 0 0 :mmcaun 50> 0H0 0:3: :.0E m.uH: "00 0000: 5030 00 0000000000 0:0 0000500 ImH0 00 :0H000HH00 c0 00: 00:0000 cmHHmcm 0:9 .0H 0 0 mn.m m mn.m m 00.mv 0m 0m.nv 0m .0000: 0:0 coHuoH0 mchHEu0000 CH 0000H0S0 0:0 000 .mmucmumfiduuHu 0:0 .noonnsm 0:0 0000Hmc00 LmHHmcm Ho H00H03 0>H000mu0 059 .MH 0m.N N mN.0H MH mN.0H mH 0m.Nv 0m 0m.NN 0H .coHu ImHocscouQ 0HQ0DQ0000 0:0 AHSO 000 0:0 00: 0003 02 .NH o o m~.0 m mN.H H om.~0 om 00.0m am .cmoe SH 0x05 mHmowa 0o @5000 no coHu0u0000 c0>H0 0 00>000£3 mc006 0003 a .HH 0 0 0 0 mN.H H mn.mv mm 00.mm 00 .mcoHuH0c00 0:0 m0EHu 0cH 100050 00000580000 00 mH 0H HH 000050 0006 000smc0q .0H 00.0m 0N m~.He mm mn.0 a mn.mH mH mm.H 0 .000m: 00 Emua :0 Ho HDHHHnmummuom 0:0 0chHEumu00 SH u0uflnu0 Hmch 0:0 0H >u000H00H0 0:9 .0 x .02 X .02 3 .oz X .02 x .02 000000H0 >Hmcouum 00u00mHo Cwmuumucs 00u0< 00um< >H000uum mmHaaucHuQ owumasmcaa 000300 000300004 .m 0Hnme 41 agree that these linguistic constructs are the key to under- standing correct punctuation and sentence structure while 37.50% do not agree with 26.25%.uncertain. However, the unusually wide Spread of the responses on this item (twenty- one) indicates the possibility of a difference in interpreta— tion: Perhaps the word error is a source of difficulty. Since some writers use the sentence fragment effectively, many teachers of English do not always consider it an error. This item in the inventory might better have begun with the phrase "Ineffective sentence fragments." Moreover, the 26.20% who indicated uncertainty constitute one of the high- est percentages to use this category in rating any item--a further indication of a possible weakness in the item. Therefore, the majority of the sample eXpress atti- tudes that reflect an awareness and acceptance of certain modern linguistic principles and this supports the conten- tion of Hans P. Guth as he states: The inherent interest of the new grammars, the impressive competence of some of the new gram- marians, and the premium that new materials put on the resourcefulness and imagination of the adapter--all these attract the intellectually alert and professionally reSponsible teacher to the linguist's camp. However, these future teachers eXpress attitudes that reflect uncertainty and division concerning the appli— cation of a rather complex linguistic principle to grammar 4Guth. pp. 71-72. 42 study: however, it was felt that this result could be due to a misinterpretation of the item due to its possible ambiguity. Analysis of Table 4--Preparation for Literature Teaching The data of Table 4 indicate that 98.75% of these Michigan State graduates like to read and 77.50% believe they are adequately prepared to teach literature. Since the greatest portion of their English program has concentrated on the study of literature, one can hypothesize that they have read and studied much about literature of various types and genres and this, coupled with their interest in reading (91.25% also feel English teachers should read a book a month), has produced feelings of adequacy. Aside from quan- tity, one might also hypothesize that quality of instruction in these courses has also aided their feeling of adequacy. Also, 93.75% of the subjects think it is beneficial to keep abreast of the current thought in literature and contempo- rary affairs by reading periodicals and professional jour- nals. This attitude suggests that these teachers have a great interest in literature which can be another possible source of their feelings of competency. It is interesting to note that 91.25% of these future teachers think that English teachers Should be aware of lan- guage development in children and its relation to the English program. Perhaps these future teachers are indicating that they recognize the importance of this kind of background. ‘43 o o om.~ N m~.0 m 00.00 om ma.mm mm .m:0xmmmm 0cm .mc00003 .0200000 00 000000 050 00 00000000 000 000 0000H050 00 000E ImoH0>00 0000000H 00 005000 050 00050 0H50 I0000H3005 05 0H0050 0050000 500H000 00 .00H 0 0 00.0 v mh.m m mN.00 mm 00.00 on .50008 0 5005 0 00000 00 0000 0H0050 00050000 500H0cm .mm 0 0 om.N N m>.m m 00.m¢ 0m mn.0v 0m .0000000 >00000E00000 000 000000000H 5003 H000 0050 0H000000000 00 HH03 00 0H00000h H00000000000 00050 0000 00 00050000 500H00m 000 H000H05 00 0H .Nm 0m.N N mN.HH 0 00.0 a 00.00 00 00.0N NN .00000000HH 50000 00 00000000 >H00000000 H000 H .Hm 0 0 0 0 mN.H H 00.0H 0H 00.00 00 .0000 00 0x0H H .om X. .02 wxo .Oz 0“. .OZ o\o .02 .x... .02 00000000 >H000000 00000000 00000000D 00000 00000 >000000m 00050000 000000000H 000 00000000000 .0 00000 44 Therefore, it appears that persons involved in secondary English teacher preparation programs might consider includ— ing eXperiences that would help their candidates become knowledgeable in this area. Thus it is clear that a definite majority of these Michigan State English teacher graduates eXpress attitudes that reflect their interest in reading, a confidence in their potential literature teaching ability, and their desire to be informed teachers concerning literature and current events as well as the language development of chil- dren. .Analysis of Table 5—-Philosgphical Attitudes Toward Literature Table 5 reveals that most of the sample possess a philOSOphy of literature teaching that recognizes the impor— tance of the reader as well as the importance of the litera- ture, e.g., 75% think such books as Hot Rod, Crash Case, and Ben Casey are acceptable classroom material; 91.25% would not eliminate For Whom the Be11“Tolls or Catcher in the Eye because they are labeled controversial; 57.50% believe teachers should use books which have interest for students. These attitudes suggest that these prOSpective teachers have a willingness to use books of varying reading difficulty and interest level which, it is assumed, would be related to the intellectual capacity, emotional maturity, and interest of ‘the student readers. z15 oo.m om.N mh.m om.NN mN.0N om.Nv mm.®~ 00 00 0m 0m 00.0m oo.mN Om.NN mN.©N mm.om mh.mm m>.mm m0.mv mb.mv 00 ON 00 0N m0 mm m0 0m 0m oo.om oo.mm 00.0N 00.0m mh.m0 m0.m~ om.~0 oo.m om.N0 0N ON 00 0N 00 00 00 O0 oo.m0 mm.o¢ m0.mm 00.00 Om.h oo.mv mm.00 mh.m Om.b N0 0m 0m mm on 0 mm.0 mn.m0 om.m mN.0 oo.m 0 .0:00:000000:3 5003 00>o: >00000E00:00 050 0000 00 00:00300 0000000 000>o: 0000000 059 0 .000000:0 0.00050 050 00 000000 >050 0030005 003m 0030000000 00 x:00 000000 0>05 50053 000000002 003 00 00050000 0500 >5 >0:00:00 0 00 00050 0030000000 00 05050000 050 :0 m0 .000005000 00 00000050 0000> 0800 0>05 50053 0x005 0:00000 >5 0005 0000 00000 0 5000080000 00300 >050 :053 0:0000uuwmwm 00000 00 5030 00000000 050 00 0500 5003 0:0x0o3 00000 000 0000500 >000:0000 >508 0:00000 0d 0 .0x003 00050 :0 0:0005:0 =0:00003 0000: 050 0N>00:0 0:00300 0 0050 05050003000 0 5003 005500 >00:0000ww30:0 00 =0030000000 0000= 00 005000x0 059 0 .:000 I0300:30 0:0 .>000350oo> .003003000 00:00:00 .00EE000 .0:000000 :0 0000:0000000 00 00300 0 00 :00000000: 050 00 :00000 coco: £003 00000000500 0co0o0uuzm me 0000 N .0000000 0030000000 :0 050000>o 0:005 00: 00 0:00000 0000 5003 0x005 :000000 0:0 :0000>0000 uo :0000000Eou 05s 0 .0030000000 0000 0:0 0030000000 00000 :003005 0:00 00:0000 >00000U 0 00 00059 0 .:000030000 00000 000500 5005 0000:00 000 000006 0:0 0N0 050 mfl 0050000 00 5030 05005 000000>O00:OU v .:00003000:0 00 0000030000 500000000 000 0030000000 000000 >00000 00: 000 N000U :00 0:0 .0000 50000 .000 00: 00 0x005 5030 00 0:00000 05B .00 .00 .00 .00 .mo .om .x .02 fl. .oz .8 .oz $ .02 8 .oz 00000000 >00:0000 00000000 :00000050 00005 00000 >00:0000 I! 0030000000 000300 000500000 Hmo0nmomo00nm .m 00000 n: 46 Moreover, many of these future English teachers appear to question the role of the classics in the litera- ture program as 57.50% imply the classics should be de- emphasized in favor of books related to student interests; 55.00% question the belief that the classics are a necessary foundation for understanding contemporary works; 78.75% do not think reading the classics make students proficient in language skills; 75.00% do not think there is a clearly defined line between great and poor literature. These attitudes suggest that many of these potential teachers will not rely solely on the classics to provide literary experiences for their students as they apparently question the idea that the classics are the only worthwhile reading materials because they are the basis for all liter- ary study. Loban, Ryan, and Squire state: Any book offering genuine insight into the significance of human thought and action can provide a literary experience. Much writing for and about adolescence, like Seventeenth Summer or Old Yeller, will strike a reader with telling impact only during a brief interval in his life. Lacking the universality of major writing, these stories can offer the youth a moment of insight into his own world as only literature can. From such active participation in a literary eXperience, mature appreciation may grow. The girl who this year responds to Maureen Daly may next year discover Charlotte Bronte and later Willa Cather and Jane Austen. Such growth occurs slowly over a long period Of time. o 0 .5 5Walter Loban, Margaret Ryan, James R. Squire, Teach— ing Language and Literature (New YOrk: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1961), pp. 278-279. 47 However, because of ambiguity, it appears that three of the items in this table were difficult for the subjects to rate. For example, on item ninety-one 47.50% feel teach- ers use "poor quality" literature just to appeal to students' interests. This percentage may feel this is desirable because often literature poor by comparison to such authors as Shakespeare, Hemingway, or Steinbeck is capable of moti- vating students to become involved in reading. On the other hand, the 25.00%.who are uncertain and the 27.50% who dis- agree may be bothered by the word "just" which limits the scope of the item.to interest alone. Perhaps these subjects feel there are other reasons to use so-called "poor quality" literature, e.g., to teach certain understandings, skills, and attitudes. Another item with a wide distribution is seventy— eight as 47.50% feel literature classes are not motivating students to turn to reading in lieu of television and car- toon books; 23.75% are uncertain, and 28.75% think litera- ture classes are successful in this respect. The question may be whether it must be an either/or proposition, that is, cannot a student read good literature, watch television, and also read cartoon books? Item eighty resulted in 40.00% of the subjects agreeing that students are not required to analyze the writ- ing of "good literature" whereas 30.00% are uncertain and 30.00% disagree with this.idea. Perhaps the word "analyze" 48 is the cause of the difficulty as it may mean anything from parsing and diagramming to discussing the use of imagery. It is felt that the above three items are difficult to evaluate because the sample apparently was not able to rate them with any great degree of certainty. Thus, it is clear that the majority of these eighty proSPective secondary English teachers possess a philosophy toward literature which recognizes the importance of the reader as well as the literature; the majority also question the traditional value placed on making the classics the core of the high school English program. However, three items in the table offered dubious results as the sample apparently found it difficult to rate them because of their ambiguity. Analysis of Table 6--Attitudes Toward the Objectives of Literature Teaching Table 6 shows that most of these Michigan State sub— jects (98.75%) think it is important to interest all stu- dents in the enjoyment and value of reading by providing them with readable and appealing books, and they further imply that they would attempt to "fit" the book to the stu— dent and not the student to the book as 83.75% would not turn to such classics as Silas Marner, wuthering Heights, or The Scarlet Letter to achieve this goal; furthermore, 76.25% would not require all high school graduates to have £19 mN.om 0m.~ mN.H 0m.na mm.a mm.a mN.HH 0m.n 0m.m~ 0m.h 0m.mm mN.0v mm «H OH cm on 00.0w mN.HH mN.HH 00.0w mN.oH mm.© mN.H 00.m 0m.mm 00.0w mn.wm mm.0w mn.m¢ 0m.hm 0w 0d ma 0N NM no hm mm 0m mh.m mN.© mh.ma 0m.ha mN.HH 00.0H mh.ma 00.mN 00.0N 0m.ma mm.0a mm.0a 0m.ma Ha Va Ha 0m 0H 0H ma ma 0H 00.m mN.Ho mm.®m 0m.NH 0m.hm Om.>v mN.oo 0m.h® mn.mm 00.0m mm.©a mN.Hm 0v mg 0H 0v mm mm gm mm vm ma mm mm mh.ma 0m.ha 0m.m mn.ma mm.©m 0m.mm 0m.NH 0m.N 0m.N 0m.m ma Va Ha om ON 0H «m .EMumoum mono wmmsmcmH mzb mo mm: mcu rmdouzu oMflH ob boomsncw >HamHUOm oEoomn mucQUSOm dawn ob bogummu Lmflavcm cm wo coHuocsN orb wmd we uH .ouSOwumuHH @000 as ooCHMu Icoo mmopfl wzu Ou ocoammu 0n mHQOom maso» mo mocHE wgu cflmhu Ou mumxomwu cmflamcm uOM acouuomefl ma uH .msmcmwcoo QSOLm o On mpmma £OHL3 mcoflcflmo mo mCMMMLm m on mammua mpcma xpoum musbmuouaa cam mafiuflu3 wo muses: w:u omsmu non mabmufimwp ma mmmHo zmaamcm orb CH homuooeoo .omusoo mumummmm m mm bemoan cuoomm LuHB coda Iamomfioo pcm smoumumufla wo cofluoumoucfl orb ma Emum 10nd Lmflamcm cm mo coflummflcmwuo o>Huoowuo umOE obs .m03um Hmoflu0umaz aaousm 8 Cu pmuo>op on pasczm mcficumOS OMDOMMQUHH Hoozum xumpcooom 00 bung aamtw o maco .Eo:u pCJOum cauo3 och ob onwaou Amen 3o; 0cm mw>aomEocu ozonm cumoa moco©35m mam: ob ma mascomob opossuwuaa mo m>HuuonQo same one .xumHsnmoo> we: pcmaxm cmu cowbom m £OH£3 >2 mooznoe umon on» 00 mco on coo mxoon poow mcflocmm .QMflH mo ALQOmOHH50 m QOHo>op Hanna Loco mac: Ou ma mcanomwu mHSOmuobHa mo 0>Huuohno umzuocm .mwaa wo >m3 UHOMuOOEop orb zomou ob ma mcazomou quumumuaa mo m>flbuonno c< .mmumsomum Hoozom 20H: Ham >2 moon on pasonw owns ouSumumufla mo mxuo3 umoum cum ouoze .mscocsnm Ham %2 musumuoufia HmoammmHo wo mafiomou orb 050:0ua ob ma mcfizummu SmHHmcm MO 0>Huoonao acouuomufl oco .huoauom CH o>HH Cu 30: mucopsum nomou On ma abdumuouflfi mo w>fluuohflo >umiunu axe .Hmwmflmm MHH 0cm .umemU mSHHSW .uocumz moaflm "pmou o>cL casozm Hoosom can: EOum mumspmum 0:3 mucccsbu HH< .mmmwmm MMflMW 0cm .mnzmflmm mcfluonuifl .umuuoq boaudom 0L9 "mum em uwnfisc wo m>Huommno mzu new mouflo:u U000 .omou Ou poxfia um>oc o>mn 0L3 muc005um mo mpcmz ozu Oucfl waOQ mCHHmoamm can wanmmeu boo muozummu Lmfiamcm umzu ucmuuoafifi ma uH .mNH .mma .QOH .VOH .mm .nn .on .Nh .On .vo .Ho .mm .fim $ 002 X .02 o\ \O .02 ”x \0 .Oz omumMmfio >H0:0uum mmummmfio abouuooca mound mouod xamCOuum @cflzummu wusumuoufla mo mo>fluuohpo ozu pum3ou mopsusuua .o msnme 50 read certain old standbys such as Julius Caesar or The Odyssey and 71.25% do not think the reading of the classics by all students is important. These attitudes receive support from a pioneer NCTE committee which in 1917 formulated objectives for the high school literature program and are reported in An English Teacher's Reader by M. Jerry Weiss: Radically different from the traditional aim of studying a few classics as directed by the Col- lege Examination Board, the report emphasized the following: (1) literature should be selected which appeals naturally to students, (2) materials which do not appeal to students should be excluded, no matter how old in point of reputation, (3) the aim must be to increase the pupils' enjoyment of literature and an attempt made to raise standards of taste, and (4) recognition must be given to the varying needs of different type pupils and an attempt made to modify the curriculum to meet these needs. From a practical standpoint, 83.75%.of the sample believe the main objective of the literature program is to help students learn about themselves and how they relate to the world; 80.00% feel literature study should help students develop a philosophy of life; 86.25% think reading should help students become socially adjusted to life, and 73.75% imply these objectives can be accomplished by allowing the students to actively participate in the literature program as they believe the program lends itself to democratic pro- cedures during class discussion. These attitudes reflect 6M. Jerry Weiss, An English Teacher's Reader (New York: Odyssey Press, Inc., 1962), p. 444. 51 an educational philOSOphy which contends that the schools are involved in the development of the whole child. Hans P. Guth writes about this philOSOphical position in relation to the-Objectives of high school literature as follows: In our fragmented culture, with its countless specialized pursuits, literature appeals to man's whole intellectual, emotional, and moral being. The study of literature not only broad- ens the student's perSpective but contributes .in manifold ways to his growth in emotional maturity and human sympathy. It is enigmatical that the sample is divided concern- ing the idea that there are certain works of literature that should be read by all high school graduates as 32.50% agree; 47.50% disagree, and 20.00% are uncertain. This is perplex— ing in view of their attitudes toward the classics and stu- dents' interests; perhaps it is indicative of a feeling that there must be something of absolute value in the high school literature program. The sample is also divided about the literature pro- gram teaching the democratic way of life as 31.25% agree that it should; 43.75% disagree, and 25.00% are uncertain. Perhaps they feel that this is too politically oriented to be part of the program or that it suggests indoctrination of the students by the teachers. 7Guth, p. 312. 52 .A majority of the sample (80.00%) think it is impor- tant to train the minds of young people to respond to the ideas contained in good literature; this attitude suggests that students are to be conditioned to reSpond to ideas that, one must assume, the teacher considers important. This attitude also suggests that the mind is a muscle that needs training and exercise to make it intellectually strong. How- ever,.it is quite possible that if this were explained to the sample as it is now, they would have questioned the idea; it could be that item was too subtle for the majority to understand its implications. Many of these future teachers (67.50%) feel that speech should be a part of an integrated literature and com- position program, an attitude that coincides with current thinking in the field. J. N. Hook states: From the study of literature and composition arise many Opportunities for oral work. Oral reading, class and panel discussions, reports, definitions, giving directions, dramatizations, telling of stories, choral reading, and recita- tion are natural outgrowths of the "regular" study.8 By way of summary, most of the eighty prOSpec- tive teachers of secondary English graduating from Michigan State University indicate that the objectives of the litera- ture program should be to help students learn to enjoy liter- ature as well as relate it to their lives; furthermore, these 8Hook, p. 423. 53 teachers would not rely on the classics to achieve these objectives. They also believe that oral English should be an integrated part of the literature and composition program. However, these prospective teachers are divided about teach- ing the democratic way of life through literature and about requiring certain great books to be read by all students before they graduate from high school. Although the major— ity eXpressed an attitude that suggests they believe in the principle of teaching by conditioning students' minds to respond to ideas in a behavioristic fashion, it was felt that they probably did not fully understand the implications of this principle. Analysis of Table 7--Attitudes Toward Poetry Teaching Although a sizeable percentage (51.25%) of these potential teachers feel poetry teaching is difficult, a majority of 75.00% do not believe that students have a natural dislike for poetry. Concerning poetry teaching, 82.50% would not emphasize a requirement for students to master the definitions of imagery whereas 92.50% would encourage students to interpret poetry from their own view- points; 68.75%.do not think the teacher must always tell the students what poetry means. Loban, Ryan, and Squire in Teaching Langugge and Literature write: "The value in teaching most students to discriminate among the various 54 mh.mm mh.ma mh.mN mN.0N 0m.hN 00.0N mm.0 mm Ha mm Hm NN 0H 0m.N mm.0 mh.mm 0m.hm 00.0w mm.0m om.m0 00.00 mh.mm Hm 0m NM m¢ 0m vv Hm 00.0H mN.H mh.ma mN.0H mN.0 00.0H ma ma mN.H0 an.mm mn.ma 0m.Nm 00.m~ mm.0 0m.ha 0m.hm 0¢ hm Ha 0m 0m va 0m mN.0N mh.mm mN.H mN.H 00.m mh.ma Hm .Uum .m>Mmmm .mofluOum buosm m>ao>CH umcu muflcs mesu sauna Ou @CHLomou >uuoom mumHmu ob msowmmucm>om ma uH hv .COfiuMuoumuouCA umeuum Ou mucofisum mnemonsoocm ma unduuomEH muOE “bounce acouuomEfl mzu no: we xuumom mo COHuMuwum Iuoucfi oLu Cw muo3mcm mo mmmcmcou3 cam meCuanu 059 o .ommsmcmH vauoom mo >usmon onu mumflowummm mucopsom ozu mam: Ou oUH>oU 000m m ma :.. . . on On no: we on 09; .o.fl .>uuoom 00 mocfla UfimmmHU secuumo ONHuOEmE mucopsbm mcfl>mm o .Oum .o>flumuumc ..m.H .xuuoom 00 mwm>u HMHDUHUMMQ mo muss: zoom» Ou manomfl>pm ma pH .xuuoom wumfiuwummm Ou Gamma mucoCSum mam: 09 o .mucmvsum o£u qu huuoom boumumuca Ou nonomwu Lmflamcm wnu mo >uHHHnHmCOQm0u mnu ma be .ousombo couwo mH xuumom mo maficmoe mzu mucflw H .Uuo .uozmmboe .oaHEHm ..0.fi .xuommafl mo mcofluHCAwon onu noume ob mucmcsum uOM ma mcflzomou >uumom wo mm>fluumhfio Hmfiucmmmm umOE mnu 00 one A .ufl oNHum Ou wEOU Haw3 >050 Om xuumom boon ozu Os xaco couvaflnu omomxo pazonm nonumou cmflamcm one v .huuoom mo oomsmcmH wcu Cu coflmum>m amusumc a o>mc convaflcu AH .uasuflwwflo ma mcfizommu xuuoom .m0H .NOH .HOH .00H .00 .mn .50 .00 .m0 X 002 R .02 .02 X .02 X .02 moummmfio xamcouum mwummmflo Casanova: ooum< wouo< xamcouum wcfizumou >uuoom 0nm30u moGSufiuu< .h manmh 55 figures of Speech is highly dubious."9 ". . . the teacher must be genuinely appreciative of student response; he should welcome reactions and suggestions, no matter how banal."lo By considering the reactions of the students to poetry, the teacher is in a good position to be able to determine what their needs are when he is attempting to help them appreciate the language and ideas of poetry. It appears that the objective is to help students become comfortable with poetic language by not stressing the technical aSpects of poetic writing. This does not mean, however, that the study of imagery should be eliminated; it merely suggests that it should not be stressed as being the key to under- standing poetry. Many secondary English teachers have probably eXperienced the situation wherein students memo- rized the definitions of imagery but could not identify them in poems nor could they rely on these definitions to help them understand poems. Concerning this issue, Loban, Ryan, and Squire sug- gest that teachers concentrate on helping students under- stand the basic poetic image of metaphor: "Metaphor . . . is the most crucial of all the concepts needed for reading poetry. Here one comes most nearly to the heart of poetic 9Loban, Ryan, and Squire, p. 352. 10Ibid., p. 359. 56 language."11 The sample was not asked specifically if they would emphasize the teaching of metaphor or how important they consider it; these questions could have provided some valuable answers and probably should be included in any further research of this type. Regarding required memorization, 67.50% of these future teachers do not think it does much to help a stu- dent's appreciation of poetry and this attitude receives support from J. N. Hook: Memorization of poetry should be encouraged but not required. In too many instances, forced memorization has caused dislike. . . . Three suggestions on memorization: (1) If poetry is taught effectively enough, students will want to tuck away certain lines and brief passages. (2) Choral reading and dramatization tend to fix certain lines without the student's conscious effort. (3) If the teacher himself occasionally quotes a few lines pertinent to the tOpic being discussed, spae students will be motivated to emulate him. This quotation suggests that memorization can be a positive factor in poetry teaching if it is not a required or forced activity; it should be an activity that students are encour- aged to participate in. Most of these teacher candidates (87.50%) would relate poetry to thematic units involving short stories and essays; on the other hand, many (51.25%) are not in favor of the unit approach, i.e., narrative, lyric, etc. Among the llIbid., p. 352. 12Hook, p. 203. 57 leaders in the field of secondary English there appears to be no definite collective opinion, but Loban, Ryan, and Squire state: "Obviously, planning how poetry will be taught is a very personal matter, depending upon the person- ality of the teacher, the particular class, and the plans for the rest of the English course."13 Thus the majority of the eighty prOSpective teachers of secondary English graduating from Michigan State Univer— sity think poetry teaching is difficult, that the emphasis should be on helping students understand poetry by encourag- ing them to interpret its meaning as best they can, that there should not be an emphasis on students mastering the definitions of imagery, that the memorization of classic lines of poetry should not be required of all students, that students do not naturally dislike poetry. These teacher candidates prefer the thematic approach as opposed to the specific unit approach to poetry teaching. Analysis of Table 8--Attitudes Toward.Cgmposition Teaching Methods From the data in Table 8, it is clear that the majority of these Michigan State English teacher candidates support current ideas and views concerning the nature of composition as 86.25%.fee1 organization, thesis, and unity are more important than mechanics: 92.25%.think pupils l3Loban, Ryan, and Squire, p. 359. 5E3 mN.H a mm.0 m 00.0H m 0m.mm mv 00.0m em .ucoucoo was an pasozm :oHnamomeoo m.ucmp:om o 00 :OHOmSHm>o m.zo:uoou m 00 ucfiom HMOOu orb .ucgsozb no :oflmmoumxo cm we Ucfiuwuz oucflm .hm o o 0 o 0m.m N om.mm 0m oo.m0 mm .mmOOOum madden} mzu 00 uOOQmo acmuLOQEH :3 ma TzflxCHLuloum .0m 0 o o o ms.m m oo.m¢ 8m mm.um He .wcfluuuz no musum can onaoU as mowoeu 050m maaasm JOHHm pasozm nozommu m .muomma T:Homuv :H .mw o o omK 0 mméc m mmém me 00.? 2., .3333 CH moucmruoe :mzu sensuous; ozCE mum xuflcs 0cm .mflmozu m .cOHuomacmouo wcfl>o2 .wm mN.H H mN.H H mN.H _ m>.mm mo 0m.mv gm .oEHu o no mEoHQOMQ 300 o haco co msuou Cu OHQmuHmop we be .COHuHmOQEOU Hanna m mcflomsfim>o CH .0m 0 0 0 0 o 0 mm.Hm ha mn.bn m0 .Hoocum ocu pco>mn mcuoocou HHQDQ Ou can .moHnH>fiuom tcc muuoflnsm umcuo Ou .ESHsueuuzu :mHawcm 0:0 00 umou orb Ou pubmHOu on pasozm :oflbosuumcfl Tcflufluz .OH 0 0 0 o 00.m v Om.mm 0H 0m.mn mm .mcflufluB CH ooauomum mouflszou OOfluB ob mcficumoq .mH om.mv gm 00.mm mm 0m.n 0 oo.ma NH 0 0 .Lozu buouuco :m0 on Om mucous m.u:o0:um 050 Had boo ucfloa ob mH mcofluHmOQEoo ocfluuouuoo :H xuflaflbflmcoamou m.u0£umoo smeamcm cc .QH 00.00 v0 mm.0a ma mn.m m 0 0 0 o .moocoucwm coucsu owuLu HO mucoEUmuw mucouumm moucu no muouuo wcflaaoem o>Hw mg: on we spasm wcfiaaou m o>fiooou pasorm cofluamoaaou uCQCSum < .0 X .02 X .02 x .02 R .02 R .02 oouwmmfla xamCOuum woummmflo CHMuuouco moumd mou0< xaocOuum mpozuoe mascomou coHuHmOQEOU quBOu mmpsuuuu< .m clans 59 mm.Hm mm mm.0v hm mn.ma Ha mn.0 h 0 0 .uouuon ouflu3 mucoGSum mmaon moocoucom mo 0CflEEmummflo .vv 0 0 mN.H a 0m.~ N mn.mv 0m 0m.nv mm .oufiu3 Ou sumoa mucocsum oodmao: CH Haunt umEEMum coca o>Huoomwo ouOE ow mcfluflu3 ca oufluomum .mv oo.m w oo.ma NH om.ms os om.~o cm oo.m v .xmosonoxmm Hmcownmusoo uo mmsmuocfluo nooaomu oasonm wcowuamomeoo ucoosum mo sodomSHm>o one .ov m~.z a oo.ms NH m~.Hm mm m~.Hm He m~.H H .moflumflsmcfia nuance oo mononucflum numflomu oasonm mcofluflmomeoo ucopsum mo coflumsam>o one .mm o 0 mm.@ m cm.~H oa om.mo om mn.ma ma .maxum mo xuflamson>nocn can “Agnew mxuma >Hamsms mcofiumHsmou 0cm moasu mcflnuoou Ou couo>op we nonumou cowamcm omOSB mucoosum mo mowufiu3 one .mm mN.H H mm.0 m 0m.n 0 mn.00 mm m~.0a ma .aoow uo cmoE o3 umcz .s300 oau Ou .ocflwoo Ou .oumum Ou .Houucoo Ou unsouuo ocu ma wcflufluz .AM 0 0 0m.~ N mm.aa 0 mm.0m am 00.00 0v .mcofiuamoaeoo .mucopsum uwoe CH uouuo >uo>o xumE ob oabmufimop uoc ma pH .mm 0 0 mm.a H 0m.m N 00.0v mm mm.0m me .oouflsgou waamcoflmmooo .muommm uo0c0a can» xao>au nuomwo ouOE Adflxm mcfluau3 ouoeoum .0ouo:~m>o 0cm oocmammm xaucosooum .muommm quLm .mHHmsm umoe mom .mm R .02 X .02 $ .02 X .02 fi .02 oou0Mmfin >H0£0uum ooummmaa Casanova: oou0< ooumd xamcouum poscflucoullm oanoe 60 should have some choice of t0pic and style; 82.50% believe writing is an eXpression of thought; 85.00% agree that writing is an attempt to control, state, define, and tie down what students mean or feel: 97.50% believe pre-thinking is an important aspect of the writing process. These atti— tudes show that these teacher candidates regard composition as an idea—centered activity as does Helen F. Olson in An English Teacher's Reader: Good teaching of written compgsition takes place only in an idea-centered classroom. Because thinking is the basis of clear expres- sion, good writing is idea-centered. This focus upon ideas is all-important. Any good writing must come from some specific feeling or thought or conviction of the writer. Concerning the evaluation of student compositions, most of these future teachers do not consider themselves grammatical inSpectors or proofreaders, as 77.50%.do not think it is their responsibility to point out all the stu- dents' errors; 92.25%,wou1d focus on a few problems at a time and they would not pre—establish rigid arbitrary stan- dards for failure,.i.e., five Spelling errors or three sentence fragments or three run—on sentences, and 67.50% think evaluation should reflect principles of educational psychology. J. N. Hook writes: 14Weiss, p. 100. 61 Mistakes he finds, of course. Some he marks; others he ignores for the time being. He marks errors that have been adequately discussed in class: points that have not yet been taken up he usually does not check. In a paper filled with errors, he marks only the most serious, those that should be eliminated first.15 As this quotation points out, mechanical and grammatical errors are marked, but they are marked in accordance with the students' ability to profit from them. In eXpressing these attitudes, these future teachers apparently regard writing as a very personal endeavor and its purpose is to communicate something between the writer and the reader. By focusing on the presentation of ideas while evaluating a composition, teachers can help students realize their strengths as well as their weaknesses when they attempt to set down their ideas in writing. By not pointing out all of a student's mechanical and grammatical errors while evaluating a composition, a teacher shows that he has regard for the studentfs efforts at writing and will not discourage him from further attempts by making him feel that he is completely inadequate as a writer. By way of addition, it is here noted that a slight majority of the sample (52.50%) indicate that modern lin- guistic principles should be applied to composition evalua- tion and a sizeable percentage (31.25%) are uncertain. This 15Hook, p. 251. 62 appears to be congruous with an idea proposed in the discus- sion of Table 3 which hypothesized that a large percentage of these prOSpective teachers may not have a firm understand— ing of some of the complex principles of modern linguistics and find it difficult to conceptualize their application to teaching. In order to help students develop writing skills, 95.00% feel that practice is necessary, and 96.25%.believe this is more effective than grammar drill; 77.50% do not regard diagramming sentences as an effective method of help- ing students improve their writing; 81.25% feel that if teachers devote their time to teaching rules and regulations, their students' writing will lack Spirit and style, and 92.25% believe that for most pupils, short papers frequently assigned and evaluated are more effective than longer papers occasionally required in helping students develOp writing Skill. Thus the majority of these Michigan State University English teacher candidates.indicate Writing is the expres- sion of a student's ideas and that the evaluation of writing should focus on content: they also feel that mechanical and grammatical errors Should be marked judiciously, keeping the ability of the student in mind; they believe that students learn writing by frequent, evaluated practice; they are less certain about the application of linguistic principles to the evaluation of writing. 63 Analysis of Table 9--Attitudes Toward Literature Teaching Methods From the data in Table 9, it is apparent that the attitudes of these prospective secondary English teachers favor teaching literature that has interest and appeal for students as 100.00% believe this approach will help students gain appreciation and understanding of literature; further- more, much of the sample (67.50%) accept the principle of adjusting the literature program to meet the needs and abilities of the students; they would use various kinds of literature in helping students develOp an interest in read- ing, even literature termed "second rate." Although 52.50% do not believe a student will deve10p literary appreciation by reading selections he actively dislikes, 31.25% think this is not true; and although 50.00% agree that literature must have an immediate, direct impact on the reader if it is to be a meaningful eXperience for him, 35.00% do not agree; 88.75% do not believe in attempting to develOp literary appreciation by having students concentrate on the technical aSpectS of creative writing; 71.25% also feel a teacher Should not do all the eXplaining of literature for the students. By attitudes such as these, the majority of the Sample for this study demonstrate that they realize students must be actively involved in the literature program and that reading has a personal aSpect about it whereby the reader €fl4 05.0 m 0m.0m Hm 00.00 gm 00.0v mm 0 0 .mcHnooou mH on ousumuouHH on» 3ocx usz nonumou d .00 00.m m 00.~m 0m 00.0H NH 0~.0m 0N 00.0H HH .oudusm on» :H uo 30: .EHL qu ousoHuomxo HoumCHcmoE m on On mH uH 0H 30: can ouon novmou o co uUMQEH uooqu m o>mz umse oMSuMuouHH umoz .mn 0N.Hm 0N 00.n0 0g 0N.0 0 00.0 v 0 0 .>0HmEo muocusm umzu moschnuou 0cm .mcoHuco>coo .moHsu on» 00 >050m GoNHHmEHOM m cmsoucu ousumuouHH oxHH ou cumoH HHH3 mucocsum .Hh 0h.0H 0H 0n.mm hm 0N.0H MH 05.0m mm 00.N m .0CHLomou mH uocomou ocu bozo mcoHuooHom onu moxHHch >Ho>Huom o: Lmsonu co>o .GHHLU m CH oomoHo>o0 on coo coHumHoonamm >HMuoqu .00 0m.0H 0H 0~.H0 Hg 00.0H NH 00.NH 0H 0 0 .mHMHuoumE oumu Ocouom mchs 0» uHOmou no: oHsocm .mcHnmou CH umououcH cm QoHo>oU Ou uQEouum cm CH .uozomou cmHHmcm one .00 00.NN 0H 05.00 mm 00.0 v 05.0w 0H 0 o .mcooE uH umz3 300x coo xocb 0m mucoosum mHL qu ouzumuouHH uoumuoucH umDE nozomou smHHmcm oze .N0 0m.0 0 0N.Hv mm 0N.HN 5H 05.0w mm 00.N m .conmsoch mmmHo new woos HHH3 mucovsum um£3 ooHUow cHsonm .mmoco>HumoUuom HoOHuHuo 0cm 0CH ICHMpu >uHmuo>Hcs 00 omsmoon .uonomou LmHHmcm oze .00 0 0 0N.H H 0~.H H 00.00 0v 00.nv 0m .mumououcH omonu Ou vouoHoH oum :UHz3 meOQ chw Eocu mHoc cozu 0cm CH ooumououcH oum mucoUSum umz3 cumoH Ou mH muocomou LmHHmcm 00 non ucmuuomeH :< .00 0 0 0 0 0 0 00.hm 0m 00.m0 00 . .mumououcH uHoLu On oumHou bozo mxoon o>mx >ozu coL3 mchmou cH HHme uoumouv moHo>o0 can once Umou mucocsum .h0 R .02 X .02 0 .02 x .02 X .02 ooummmHQ >Hmcouum ooumMmHo :Hmuuooso ooumd oou0¢ >H0couum moocuoE mcHsomou oLSumuouHH cumzou mwoSSHuuc .m mHnms 65 00.0H 00.NN 00.0v 0N.00 00.0 00.00 00.00 00.0H 0H 00 00 00 0H NH 00.00 0N.Hv 00.0w 00.00 00.00 00.0v 00.N0 00.00 00 00 00 H0 00 00 00 00.00 00.0H 00.0 0N.H 00.0N 0N.0 00.0H 0N.HH 0N.H 0N 0H mm 00.0H 00.0N 0m.0 00.0 00.00 00.0 00.0H 00.0H 0H 0H mm NH vH 0N.H 00.0 00.H 0N.H0 00 .mmocuoe uHoCu 00 oEOm ouMbHEH ob muozumou LmHH0Cm CMUHuoE¢ new HHo3 on UHSOB uH .oCSumCouHH 0C0 o0o50CMH mm Loam muoomnsm UHEowmom Co mHmmCQEo LOSE oomHm >HHmCoHuH0ouu mHoocom Cmomousm ogb ooCHm .xCng Ou mucoosum o0coHHo£o mumou o>Huoohno .CBO 0H: 00 COHumcmmeo cm LuH3 CH HHHw UCM ommmmmm on» mew muCopsum 0C» o>mz GHSOSm Conumou oLu .00 quESC CuH3 CoHuooCCou CH .uH UCMumuoUC: Ou GoUCoHuomxocH no 0C50> OOu oum hozu umzu muCoGSum oLu Ou oumuHcCH GHSOSm uocomou oCu .Uouoquooco mH x002 m CH o0mmmmm quonwHU a COLE .ousumuouHH 00 oHSuMC oCu UCmumCOUCS Houuon muCoGSOm mHoz >Ho>HmCooxo u503Mu >CME ob vomommo mm >Ho>HmCouCH uC0SMu ouSnmuouHH 00 mxu03 Bow 4 .CoHuHmOQEOO EOuw uummo 0:050u on UHSOCm ouSumuoqu .EoLu momCo UCo ouoHuouQmo Ou CuooH >HanOCQ UHSO3 :mxoon 0000: 0CHnooC oxHHmHC woCu EHmHo 0:3 mucowsum omOCu .m0 quEdC mo uHSmou m m< .muCoUDum HHm >3 0CH©mou OCOE ommusooco GHSOB .CouuHu3 UCo Houo Loon .muuomou >u0uoccoE £0H3 .COHumuo> uoEEdm ch Moo» Hoocum on» UCHHDU mumHH 0CHUmom .uH Ucoumuovcs UCm ouoHoouQmm Ou muCowsum 0CHQHoL CH o>Huuo00o on On mH on 0H 0CH£omou mH on ousu ImmoUHH oCu ozonm OHummeDLuco on UHDOCm uozumou 4 .0NH .00H .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .N0 .00 K .02 X .02 X .02 X .02 0 .Oz ooummmHo 0H0C0uu0 ooummmHo CHMuuooCD oou0< oou0< 0H0C0uu0 UoDCHuCOUIt0 oHQMP 66 must become involved with the book if he is to derive any pleasure or understanding from.it. Furthermore, the student must be encouraged to offer his own eXplanations and Opin- ions about what he reads. The research of James Squire reported in this study supports reader involvement as being an essential element of a successful literature program. Also, once the student has discovered the joy of reading, the teacher can then help him develop some amount of critical appreciation by suggesting and offering him various types and kinds of books. Loban, Ryan, and Squire state: Ultimately the improvement of taste must start with the students' level of appreciation. This necessarily demands that young readers be taught to evaluate and reject both saccharine portraits of an artificial adolescent world as well as the synthetic drug store potboilers. Over a period of time the immature reader can learn to dis- tinguish between genuine and contrived experi- ences. The teacher's job is to find the level of active response and then to build upon it and extend it. However, the Sharp division on items sixty-nine and seventy-three Shows that some of the sample apparently feel a really good teacher can overcome pupils' dislike for cer- tain books and help the pupils appreciate them. Similarly, some of the sample suggest they accept the idea that litera- ture can have a delayed effect on students whereby the 16Loban, Ryan, and Squire, p. 280. 67 students may realize the importance or impact of a book at some future time in their lives. Although 98.75% feel a teacher should be enthusias- tic about the literature he is teaching, it is noteworthy that these prOSpective teachers are quite divided over the idea that a teacher must know the literature he iS teaching as 40.00% agree, 30.00% disagree and 30.00% are uncertain. Although it is difficult to understand how a teacher can lead an effective discussion or adequately answer students' questions when he himself is not personally familiar with the literature the class is reading, perhaps those who are uncertain and those who disagree feel there are advantages to occasionally reading and discussing new material which provides a "discovery type" situation for both students and teacher. Also, those who are uncertain and disagree may feel that some Selections they may teach in high school do not require much previous study and preparation. These future teachers are also quite divided over whether the intensive teaching method has advantages over the extensive teaching method in helping students understand literature as 31.25% favor the intensive method and 40.00% do not. The research of Nancy Coryell reported in this study favors the extensive teaching method. Perhaps the sizeable percentage of the sample that favors the intensive method has faith in the transfer of training which implies 68 that once a student has thoroughly analyzed a select few books, he can then analyze any number of books. On the other hand, perhaps this item (ninety-five) did not allow those who favor using both methods to eXpress their feelings aS there is really no need to put these two teaching methods in opposition. Many leaders in the profes- sion recommend that both be used at various times during the semester, and the authors of Teaching Language and Literature state: There is only one sure way for students to learn to appreciate literature and that is by reading. The teacher's responsibility is to encourage wide reading throughout secondary school years and to supplement this effort by instructing stu- dents in how to read literature.17 This quotation suggests that students should not only read many books but they should also concentrate on a few under teacher guidance to learn how to be critical in their read- ing. Perhaps the 25.75% who are uncertain accept this view. Most of these prOSpective teachers (93.75%) support an integrated literature and composition program and this is harmonious with current trends as more and more high school English programs are adepting this organizational pattern. The advantage of this kind of program is that literature can offer students many thought provoking topics for writing and, 17Ibid., p. 284. 69 in addition, the students also possess information about the tOpic Since they have been reading and discussing it in class. The majority (63.75%) also reflect the attitudes of many English teachers concerning objective tests which is that these tests merely ask students to recall factual information. Although this is true of many objective tests, this is not an inherent characteristic; an objective test measures whatever a teacher makes.it measure. It is pos— sible, although time consuming and difficult, to construct objective tests that require students to think. Although 47.40% would not imitate the methods of literature teachers in European schools, 35.00% are uncer— tain. This item (one hundred twenty-seven) most likely was difficult to rate because of the ambiguity of just what "methods" were to be imitated. Surely some may be desire- able and some undesireable. Thus the item is difficult to assess. Thus, the majority of these eighty prOSpective teachers of secondary English graduating from Michigan State University recognize the importance of basing the literature program on the interests and needs of the students, that the technical aspects of creative writing Should not be over— emphasized, that students must be encouraged to respond to the literature they read according to their own abilities, that literature must be related to composition. However, it is felt that the items concerning pupils' dislike of what 70 they read, the delayed impact of what students read, the importance of the teacher's knowledge of what he teaches, the usefulness of intensive versus extensive literature methods, and the desirability of imitating European teaching methods were difficult to evaluate because of the possibil- ity of various interpretations concerning their meaning. Analysis of Table lO--Attitudes Toward Educational Innovations The data from Table 10 reveal that the eighty pro- spective teachers of this study exhibit attitudes that reflect some uncertainty concerning the recent innovation of programmed textbooks and their proposed usefulness. Programmed textbooks in traditional grammar are purported to help students to improve their writing ability by enabling teachers to assign and evaluate more compositions; however, 67.50% of the sample disagree. On the other hand, 70.00% believe programmed instruction is more effective than the teacher in certain aspects of teaching such as drill, reinforcement, pacing and meeting individual differences. It appears that the teachers of this sample who favor pro- grammed instruction may have accepted its value without questioning the issues and implications involved. Pro- grammed instruction necessarily focuses on Specific facts and ideas and when it is applied to the English program, it necessarily results in a type of program that inventories 71 00.0N 0N.H 00.N 0N.H 00.0H 0N.00 00.0H 00.N 0H NH 0N 0H 00.N0 00.0 00.0N 00.0H 00.0w 00.00 0N.H 00.0 0N.0 0N.H 00.00 0N.HN Nv 0H N0 00 00 0H 00.0H 00.0H 00.0H 00.0H 00.00 00.NH 0N.0 00.0 00.NH 0N.HN 00.NN 00.0H HH HH NH 0H 0N 0H 0H 0H 0H HH 00.0 0N.H0 00.00 0N.00 00.0 00.N 00.00 00.00 00.00 00.00 00.0 00.0w 00 00 00 00 N0 00 0v 00 0N.H H 00.0 0 00.0 0 00.0H HH 0N.H H 00.00 00 00.0H 0H 00.0H HH 00.0H «H 0N.H H 00.0H HH .oHnm mmoH onu €000 Eonu oumummom Ou 0000 mH uH .>Huco53owCOU “muCowdum anH0Cm oHQm onu ohm 0n3 >Humo oCHEHouov 00 Honomou anH0C0 Cm H00 0mmo mH 0H .ConConoumEou C0 xuono m moUH>oCQ 0H mono >uo>o um umnu mH uxou ©oEEmu00u0 m 00 ommqu>©m HmHosuo one .moumu C30 uHonu um Umonm o>OE Ob oHnm oum 0on0 oUCHm moHuHomaoo ucouowwHU 00 mucocswm nuH3 0CHHoo0 CH EoHQOHm m.uon0oou on» mo>H0m COHuUSCumCH 0oEEmu0ou0 .0CHum0 0cm .uCoEoUH00CHou .CoHuoHoHooom .05I30H IHOM JHHCO "umoxmo3 mH 0CHn0mou EOOCmmmHo HmCoHu ICo>Coo noHn3 CH mmouo onu 00 oEom CH momoqu>Um uCMuCOQEH >Cms Homuo mxoon UoEEmuooum 0C0 moCHnuoE 0CHnumou mm nosm mouH>00 HmCoHuOSHnmCleHom 30C one .COHbOSCumCH vogEmuooua nUHB noumCmouCH ouOE moEooon 0H non3 OCHnooou Eooummeu HoCoH0Co>Coo 00 CoHnHquEOU msoHuom uowwo ou >HoxHH onOE mH ConH>oHou HmCoHuusuumCH . .mCoHuqu IuouCH 0C won on oUCHm thmsoHonu oHOE HmHuoume ouOE uo>ou Coo Honomou >e onu omsmoon o>Huuowmo Muo> on C00 oC30MCOuHH CH CoHuosuumCH ConH>oHoe .oHSuo IuouHH .COHuHmomEoo .mEmuU .xuuooa ..o.H .anHmCm 00 mommnm HHm nuHB CH UoHu on UHsonm anHmnm Hmuo .moHHn 000 >HHmCoCo0 mH mEOOC ImmoHo anHmcm CH xuo3 nooomm new nouuoHHo oEHu one .0CHUoou C0 0CHuHu3 mo >Hn05000nu mm unmsou on cHsonm 0Cmeon 00 0C0 noooam mo moHQHOCHuQ one .0Cmeo0w CH oocouomeoo ucooncoo m 0cm >UmuouHH Hmop m noon muCoczum 0:0 00 0CHuquEH CH moHooum 100 onn0 onu 00 oCo coon mmn 0CHuHL3 0C0 nooomm coo3uon QHnmCoHuoHou onu Unaumuovcs Ou ousHHM0 one .Euou Com mCoHuHmOQEOO 0C0050m ouOE meE Una COHmmo >H0Cosron23m Coo on 0C0 nCOmmoH HoEEou0 0CHn0mou EOuw Conomou onb mooum om: HHonu omsmoon mCoHuHmOQEOU 0o muouHu3 0000 oeooon muCoGSnm QHon HHH3 umEEdum HmcoHqumuu CH muxou UoEEdumoum .moum mHnu CH 0CHCHmHu HmconmowouQ oumsvocm o>mn oHsonm muonooou anHmcm HHm .CoHuosuumCH 0CH Iwmou HchoEoH 00 coon CH oum muCoUSum >CME oUCHm .0NH .0NH .NNH .0NH .0HH .0HH .0HH .0HH .0HH .00H x .02 X 002 X .02 X .02 X .02 oou0omH0 0H0C0uum ooummmHQ CHouuooCD oou0< oou0< 0H0C00u0 mCoHum>0CCH HMCoHumosoo fluo3Ou moOSuHuud .oH oHnme 72 grammatical, rhetorical, and literary facts and terms. Hans P. Guth states: The English teacher becomes a teacher of non- English to the extent that he relies on work— books, rulebooks, programmed texts, objective examinations, or any other device that teaches students to substitute fragmented and artifi- cially channeled responses for the full exercise of their linguistic faculties. . . . Programmed instruction Should be employed in the teaching of English only reluctantly and for clearly limited purposes. In contrast to their acceptance of programmed instruction, the majority of these future teachers (85.00%) reject the idea that instructional television is a more effective way to teach literature than the conventional classroom method because the former allows the teacher to cover a lot of material without interruption. In eXpressing this attitude, these prospective teachers once again affirm their belief that the student is more important than the material. They receive support from the following quotation: "The basic objection to instructional television iS the same as that to the large lecture course: The Slow student can- not ask a question of the television set; the bright student cannot talk back to it."19 Ability grouping is presented in this study as an innovation, even though it is not really a new idea, because 18Guth, p. 405. lgIbid., p. 407. 73 attention has been focused on superior students very much in recent years and this has resulted in pressures from many sources to identify these students and provide them with Special programs. AS a result, more and more schools in .America are not only identifying superior students, but they are also identifying average and below average students and are attempting to provide programs appropriate to the needs of these ability groups. However, most of the prOSpective teachers of this study (76.25%) do not favor ability group- ing; their attitude receives support from the 1961 Yearbook of the ASCD: Some schools with large numbers of pupils in a grade have adepted the policy of grouping these pupils in terms of their general ability. . . . Research points out that there is no such thing as absolutely homogeneous grouping and that a policy of fixed or rigid grouping will not nec- 20 essarily promote the best interests of children. The place of oral English in the total English pro- gram is also presented as an innovation because Speech has traditionally taken a "back seat" to reading and writing in the English program. The NCTE Commission on the English Curriculum express the following: The Commission on the English curriculum envi- sions a program in which Speech takes its place among the offerings of the total program in the English language arts, hoping to bring about in 20Association for Supervision and Curriculum DevelOp- ment, Balance in the Curriculum, Yearbook 1961 (Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1961), p. 130. 74 this way a close interrelationship among the various aSpects of the program in communicative arts. Because of the effort toward integration, it is eSpecially important to guard the place of Speech in the program and to see that its claims are not ignored in a traditional emphasis upon reading and writing; for in the schools of a democracy the ability to think clearly and honestly, to Speak with vigor, and to examine critically what iS said by others is of paramount importance. A definite majority of the sample eXpreSS attitudes that support this quotation as 81.25% think the principles of Speech and Speaking should be taught as thoroughly as read- ing or writing; 92.50% believe oral English Should be tied in with all phases of English, i.e., poetry, drama, composi— tion, and literature; 77.50% feel the failure to understand the relationship between Speech and writing has been an obstacle in helping students gain proficiency in Speaking. A large percentage of the sample (62.50%) think that all English teachers should be competently trained in the area of remedial reading instruction. This.indicates that these prospective teachers are aware of the poor readers among high school students and also that it is their obliga- tion to help them. By way of summary, the majority of these Michigan State English teacher candidates favor programmed instruc- tion in certain instances, but do not favor the use of 21National Council of Teachers of English, The English Language Arts in the Secondary School, Prepared by the Commission on the English Curriculum (New York: Apple- ton-Century-Crofts, Inc., 1956), p. 236. 75 instructional television. They exhibit their awareness of the importance of speech in the English program and the importance of remedial reading; they do not favor ability grouping. Analysis of Table ll--Attitudes Toward Students and the Profession The analysis of the data from Table 11 shows that these future teachers are uncertain in their attitudes toward some of the items relating to students. There is a tendency by a sizeable percentage of the sample to connect students' inadequacies in using words properly with being lazy or careless as 51.25%.fee1 one of the reasons for "slappy" diction is irresponsibility; on the other hand, only 25.00% think the Slovenly use of words is the result of Slovenly thinking and 28.75% are uncertain. Linguistic research points out that there are many factors, such as home and neighborhood environment, that have an influence on how students may use language. However, it is quite pos— sible that the sample lacked the background eXperience or information to rate these items. Regarding the reading habits and tastes of students, the prospective teachers of this study eXpreSS more uncer- tainty as they indicate they find it difficult to decide whether or not students are reading more and better books, as 39.00% think they are with 45.00% uncertain; although 36.25% think students are becoming discriminating in their 76 mN.H om.hm mN.HH mN.® mN.H mN.H om.N mN.H oo.m H mN.HH O mN.H om mN.mm m mN.Hm m om.hN H mN.®H H 00.0H o oo.mH N mN.HN H mN.mN w mmon m¢ Hv NN MH NH hH HN mN om.N whomm om.hN mN.© mN.o Om.hH om.hm mN.©v mN.HH mh.mm oo.m¢ om.NH mN.HN mh.mN mH NN ¢H om hm hm om OH 5H MN mN.oo oo.m© Om.Nm mN.o® 00.0N om.hN mh.mm mh.mh oo.om oo.mm oo.mm 00.0m mN.Hm mm mm NV mm 0H mm hm mm ov mm ¢¢ 0v mm mh.mN mm.o om.h mN.©N mN.H om.N mh.m oo.m oo.m mh.m mN.H mh.m MN .muwmuw>flcs uo momHHoo m an xuo3 wuwspmum cam mmuouaumcw quEdm caucus» cHme 050 no xvsum mHz oscHucoo cHsonm nosommu cmHHmcm c4 m .zmHHmcm Hoonom swan mo mcHzomwu onu mo ucmE Im>oumEH mnu qu mcoHuMHUOmmm Hmcofiomu 6cm Hmcofiumc mo xuo3 any CH mummwowuumm pHsozm Honommu :mHchm Cd 0 .noumwmmu mUDHUCH ou qu I>Huom mCHnommu ma: cmcmoun pHsozm umcomou cmHHmcm Cd Hm .coHumUme wo pHoHu ocu mm HH03 mm gauge was cg :uumwmmu unmofiuwcmam mnu coda umfiaflemM mcHEOUwQ mo coHumeHQo way was umcommu cmHHmcm c< o .musumuwuHH coco muMHumuQmm uoccmo 053 no mafiuflu3 pumuuoo we mcMMUCMum ecu Ou as wHSmeE uoc Op 053 wucwvsum mo uwnEdc mmumH on» Hflmw 0» mumcumou anHmcm new mHnmmH>cm m« 0H 0 .xuumom uo wmoum mo ovummmm uHDUwaHU m umnmflumo umDE xmnu uw>mcw£3 x003 uaocu mamoflpcm: £UH£3 Ou pow: >w£u cmnu umEEMum HmcoHUHpmuu mmmH now 3ocx muchSUm H .muOE pawn Ou mucopsum pwuw>HuOE mm: uH umsu ma meuOum mo mcoHuMucommum >9 uo mfl>oe mcfi3mfl> mo uHsmwu wco N .xHHmHumamm GOHuUHmcoc mo pHme ecu ca Homo umwum a usapmwu mum 0cm mufinwn asapmwu uHmcu CH maaumcwaauumflp «MOE on On mcflcummH mum muchSum m .cusm mm Ewcu pmmu can mucwecmflmmm Hoocom mm mowmmmHu mcu pummou mucopsum v .coHuwmmmSm m.umcummu m Eouw meou :mumo mcHuUmHHoo Ou usmw use .mxumnummmm uofluwmsm mo moflumuQHH HMCOmuom mcHUHHDQ mum mucwpsum v .wMmen um>m cmcu 30c mxoon umuumn can ouoe ocapmou mum MHQOGQ manor 5 .mucmpsum macaw mcacwmu xoon CH mmmwuoop m uow mHnHmcommmu soon was mca3mfi> :onH>mee H .mHnHmcommouuH umuOB um can mchSMCOU umon um ma coHuUH© xmmon m .mCchwnu thm>on mo coHuooHuwu mnu mH mcuo3 mo own cho>on 0:9 .OMH .ow .mm .Vm .mm .Nm .Hm .¢h .mm .Nm .* .02 fl .oz .8 002 x 0 02 .* .oz amuOMmHa >Hmcouum ovumMmHQ :HmuumUCD moum< moum< hHmcouuw :onmmuoum ozu can mucmpzum pumZOu monouwuu< .HH UHQMB 77 non—fiction reading, 46.25%.are uncertain. Perhaps this uncertainty stems from the fact that traditionally there has been an attitude on the part of many teachers that students have a natural dislike of reading, that students must be forced to read because they are interested in too many other things and activities. For example, 63.75% think students prefer television to reading; in past decades many English teachers probably felt the same way about radio. There is no one authoritative source that can supply exact statistics on whether or not students today are read- ing more and better books than students of past decades, but, Joseph Mersand surveyed librarians and directors of libraries throughout the United States about the reading habits and preferences of young people and reports the fol- lowing representative answers in his book, Attitudes Toward English Teachigg; I definitely feel that our young people are reading more good books than they did 20 or 25 years ago. One reason is that we have so many more really well written books which they are exposed to in public and school libraries (Mrs. Helen Kessler, Head, Young People and.Children's Department, Peoria P. L.). . . . Another indication of reading interest is the rapidity with which we have to rebind and replace "standard" titles. . . . The logical conclusion is that these are worn out from use by young pe0p1e, even though we could not prove this statistically. (Harold J. Sander, Director, Indianapolis P. L.)22 22Joseph Mersand, Attitudes Toward English Teachigg (Philadelphia: Chilton Company Book Division, 1961), pp. 161-162. 78 Furthermore, students also appear to be buying books for their personal libraries according to the following quo- tations reported in Mersand's book: Lee G. Deighton, Vice President of the Macmillan Company also comments about paperback sales: "I do know that the sales of pocket books to high schools through Scholastic Magazines has now gone into the millions of copies per year. . . ." W. R. McCulley, President of Thomas Nelson and Sons, reported: From the junior high to the high school level, we have found an increase in sale of good non- fiction books. . . . The sale of classics with us has had quite an upsurge in the last five years. 0 O 23 Therefore, it is quite safe to conclude that stu- dents are interested in reading and that diversions such as movies or television have not caused them to turn away from books. It is quite likely that the prospective teachers of this study did not have information such as presented here available to them and as a result found it difficult to make decisions relative to these ideas. At this point it is encouraging to point out that 93.73% of the sample do not believe in failing students who do not meet the standards of correct writing or who cannot appreciate good literature. This attitude is interpreted as implying that these future teachers have a basic respect for students and put their welfare foremost as they would not 231bid., p. 178. 79 pre-establish standards of correct writing or criteria for good literature and then require students to measure up to these in a Procrustean manner. This indicates a potential flexibility that places the emphasis of the English program on the needs, interests, and ability of the students. Concerning professional growth and responsibility, the majority of these prOSpective teachers eXpress a desire to continue their formal education, to participate in pro- fessional associations, and to eXperiment with methods and materials that may make the English program more meaningful for students as 95.00% think English teachers should con— tinue formal study in their field: 71.25% believe English teachers should participate in regional and national asso— ciations for the improvement of the teaching of secondary English: 92.50% think English teachers Should.be familiar with significant research in English and education; 60.00% feel English teachers should become involved in research. These attitudes are certainly desirable ones for teachers to hold and it is hoped that the majority who eXpress these attitudes can implement and apply them in their teaching. Thus these future high school English teachers eXpress attitudes characterized by uncertainty concerning the industry and reading habits of students; however, the 80 majority of these same teachers reflect their desire to grow professionally by intentions of continuation of formal study and participation in the efforts of professional organiza- tions for the improvement of the English curriculum as well as initiation of their own research. CHAPTER V SUMMARY} CONCLUSIONS. AND IMPLICATIONS Summary This study surveyed the attitudes of eighty prospec- tive high school English teachers toward certain ideas related to language, literature, and teaching. The purpose was to investigate the extent to which these future teachers could be characterized by "comfortable commitment to the established and familiar, suspicion of innovations and fads, and close-minded attitudes," a description made of "a great many high school teachers" by the Curriculum Commission of the National Council of Teachers of English. It was felt that such a study might provide some indication not only of the attitudes of prospective English teachers studying at Michigan State University, but also of the effectiveness of their preparation program. A review of research was used in two ways. First, it revealed the need for this type of investigation. Second, it provided the standards by which to judge attitudes toward language, literature, and teaching. The method used in this study was the questionnaire survey. The investigator constructed the English Teacher 81 82 Attitude Inventory, an instrument containing one hundred and thirty items reflecting research findings as well as the ideas and opinions of authorities in the area of secondary English. The instrument was evaluated in a pilot study. The eighty Michigan State University teacher certi- fication candidates to whom it was administered had completed at least two-thirds of their English program; had completed their professional education requirements, which included the methods of teaching secondary English; had attained a minimum 2.0 accumulative average, and had completed or were about to complete student teaching. Thus, it was felt that the subjects had quite similar preparation and were repre- sentative of the students who receive their secondary English teacher training at Michigan State. Participants also com- pleted Form E of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale, a standardized personality test of close-mindedness. The English Teacher Attitude Inventory required each participant to read, under supervision, each statement and indicate how strongly he agreed or disagreed, or was uncer— tain about it. The responses were quantified for computer— use according to the following numerical code: Strongly Agree = 1, Agree = 2, Uncertain = 3, Disagree = 4, Strongly Disagree = 5. A computer provided the average score for each statement as well as the percentage of choices on each item according to the range of strongly agree to strongly disagree. The investigator analyzed the data and formulated 83 eleven tables: (1) Preparation for teaching language, (2) Attitudes toward traditional grammar, (3) Attitudes toward linguistic principles, (4) Preparation for literature teach- ing, (5) Philosophical attitudes toward literature, (6) Attitudes toward the objectives of literature teaching, (7) Attitudes toward poetry teaching, (8) Attitudes toward compo- sition teaching methods, (9) Attitudes toward literature teaching methods, (10) Attitudes toward educational innova- tions, (11) Attitudes toward students and the profession. In the discussion of each table, the investigator evaluated how the sample's responses appeared to accept or reject the issues represented in the items or whether their reSponses indicated uncertainty or division of Opinion. Findings 0n the basis of their ratings on the one hundred thirty items in the English Teacher Attitude Inventory, the responses of the eighty Michigan State University teacher certification candidates can be summarized as their atti- tudes toward: (1) scientific knowledge and authoritative Opinion regarding various aSpects of English; (2) generally accepted principles of teaching English; (3) their own preparation in some aspects of the field. More than 90% of the sample believe that an English teacher should understand the language development of chil- dren and its relation to reading, writing, and Speaking and 84 three-fourths of these future teachers accept modern lin- guistic principles and.believe these principles are impor- tant in high school English. At least 75% see literature as a means for develOp- ing a philosophy of life and an understanding of one's self. However, it is apparent that some of these teacher candi- dates are uncertain about the reading habits of adolescents as between thirty-three and forty—six percent respond uncer- tainly to items concerning the quality and quantity of adolescents' reading. Over 75% do not believe in separating high school pupils in English on the basis of ability. Most of the sample appear professional in attitudes related to teaching as two-thirds believe in working with national and regional associations concerned with the improve— ment of teaching high school English. Nearly all believe in the desirability of graduate work for English teachers and 93%.agree that an English teacher has the obligation of becoming familiar with significant research in his field as well as in the field of Education. It is somewhat difficult to reconcile with this belief that of the 34% who feel Educa- tion courses should be replaced by English courses as pre- requisites for teachers of high school English. In their acceptance ofégenerally agreed upon prin- ciples of teaching writing, over three-fourths of the partic- ipants.in the study indicate an awareness of research 85 findings and of authoritative Opinion in this area, and there is similar agreement with most current theories of evaluation of writing: however, only half of these future English teachers are certain evaluation should reflect prin- ciples of modern linguistics. All believe in the importance of relating instruction in writing to the rest of the in- structional program; over ninety percent believe that compo- sition and literature should be taught in the same course. Over 97% believe in relating the study of literature to adolescents' interests and abilities, but about 32% believe that there are certain great works of literature that should be read by all high school graduates. Thirty-five percent think that literature can be meaningful without having a direct impact on the reader, and almost that many believe that literary appreciation can be developed even when the pupil actively dislikes what he is reading. Almost two- thirds of these prospective teachers recognize that there are many poor readers among high school students and they feel the English teacher has an obligation to help these students. Although 85% of the sample tend to agree with gen— erally accepted principles of teaching poetry, half of them believe poetry teaching is difficult, and 22% believe chil- dren have a natural aversion to it. 86 Over eighty percent believe in the importance of high school instruction.in Speech and agree that too little time is generally given to this activity: ninety percent feel it should be tied in with all phases of English. Almost three-fourths of these future teachers agree that self-instructional devices offer important advantages in such aspects of learning as drill, follow-up, and rein- forcement. 0n the whole, it seems clear that these Michigan State future teachers do not feel punitive toward adoles— cents Or suspicious of them, as 94% do not feel there is a large number of students who cannot measure up to the standards of correct writing or appreciate good literature, and who, therefore, should be failed. Over two-thirds feel adequately prepared in the English language area. Thirty—one percent, however, feel inadequately prepared to teach grammar, and 14%.are uncer- tain: but this feeling may not be too serious since 82% do not consider grammar the hardest part of teaching. Further- more, two-thirds feel adequately prepared to teach writing. More than three-fourths feel adequately prepared to teach literature. In addition to the above findings, an analysis of the scores of Form Erof the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale indi- cated that the participants in the study were Open-minded individuals. Thus these data support the evidence provided 87 by the English Teacher Attitude Inventory that Michigan State University teacher certification candidates in English are open—minded in their approach to life in general and to their professional work in particular. Limitations of Instrument It is considered necessary to point out that the English Teacher Attitude Inventory has certain limitations. For example, it appeared that the prOSpective secondary English teachers had difficulty in rating certain items because the items presented moot issues. For this reason the investigator would eliminate the following: Table 5 78. The competition of television and cartoon books with good reading is not being overcome in literature classes. 80. The exposure to "good literature" is insuffi- ciently linked with a requirement that a stu- dent analyze the "good writing" inherent in these works. Table 6 89. A teacher must know the literature he is teach— ing. 127. Since EurOpean schools traditionally place much emphasis on academic subjects such as language and literature, it would be well for American English teachers to imitate some of their methods. It also appeared that certain items were difficult to rate because of ambiguity. For this reason, before the 88 inventory were to be used again, the investigator suggests the following revisions: Table 3 21. Ineffective sentence fragments may be the result of a student's faulty punctuation due to a failure to observe patterns of pitch, stress, and juncture in spoken English. Table 5 91. In the teaching of high school literature there are several reasons to use materials which have little rank as literature, e.g., to teach cer- tain understandings, skills, or attitudes. Table 6 128. It is important that English teachers help young pe0p1e discover the ideas contained in good literature. Table 9 95. To help students understand the nature of literature, it is desirable for teachers to use a combination of the extensive and inten- sive methods of teaching literature. Limitations of Study It is now clear that certain results of the research could have been more understandable if the investigator had interviewed many, if not all, of the subjects. For example, on item 69 in Table 9, thirty-one percent feel a child can develOp literary appreciation even though he actively dis- likes the selections he is reading: it would be helpful to know the reasoning behind this attitude. 89 Also, since this study investigated the attitudes of the subjects after they had completed most of their training, it is difficult to determine whether their teacher prepara- tion program reinforced existing attitudes or helped develop new ones. Thus, in an attempt to determine what the effects of the secondary English teacher preparation program might be, a sample of candidates about to begin their studies could take the ETAI to determine their attitudes toward language, literature, and high school teaching: these same candidates could then take the ETAI as they are about to complete their training. This type of investigation might provide information concerning: (1) the attitudes of stu- dents at Michigan State who choose high school English teach- ing as a career; (2) the kinds of, if any, attitude changes that occur while the candidates are completing their prepara- tion. Although this study has presented a description of the attitudes of prospective teachers, it cannot determine whether or not these attitudes will be expressed in the actual teaching behavior of these teachers. For this reason, it would be desirable to devise a follow—up study that would attempt to determine whether these subjects will actually implement and apply many of the attitudes they expressed in this study. 90 Finally, this study offered information on a sample from only one institution: there is a need to investigate a larger and more diversified group of subjects to provide a reliable estimate of the attitudes that all recently trained English teachers held. Implications This study suggests areas in the teacher preparation program at Michigan State University where possible revi- sions might be considered. Responses by at least one—fourth of the participants provide a basis for asking the following questions about their preparation program: 1. Should there be opportunity for additional study of the English language or a revision in the current program? OnE-fourth of the students either reject or question modern linguistic principles. Half ques— tion the relation of linguistic principles to the evaluation Of writing. 2. Is there a need for some students to have additional or revised instruction in the teaching of writing? One-third feel inadequate or uncertain in their preparation. 3. Can prOSpective teachers be helped to gain a better understanding of the reading habits and interests of adolescents and of literature suitable for them? Between 33% and 46% reSpond uncertainly to items in this area. 91 4. Should there be a revision in the professional pro- gram to help some prOSpective teachers understand the value of professional competencies? Thirty-four percent of the students feel Education courses should be replaced by English courses at the under- graduate level. However, before these questions can be answered, it is suggested that more information than was supplied by this study is needed. If any action is to be initiated, the investigator recommends that the faculty reSponsible for secondary English teacher preparation at Michigan State devise methods by which they can obtain more specific infor— mation about the program. For example, a follow—up study might use the interview technique to pursue the reasons for the uncertainty of some of the subjects. In conjunction with this approach, there is a need to study the background and learning eXperiences of the group who were certain regarding the areas of concern; what enabled them to be certain? Perhaps on the basis of the results of these approaches, the staff can decide whether or not changes are needed in the teacher training program at Michigan State. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that it is possible to survey the attitudes of English teachers. Also, this study indicated that the English Commission's criticism of English teachers being close-minded and suspicious may 92 not be true. For this reason, there is a need to survey eXperienced teachers to examine this possibility further. If such an investigation, however, finds that the criticism is warranted, then perhaps high school teaching has done something to develOp these attitudes. Another possibility is that the current crop of prOSpective teachers may be more open-minded than the group now teaching. Thus, a follow—up study of the subjects for this study in three or five years may be necessary to determine if teaching eXperience has brought about changes in their attitudes toward high school English teaching. Conclusions The results of the English Teacher Attitude Inven- tory gave evidence that, on the whole, the eighty secondary English teacher candidates graduating from Michigan State University expressed attitudes toward language, literature, and high school teaching that indicated they accepted many of the current ideas and principles concerning these areas. Furthermore, the results of the Rokeach Dogmatism Scale disclosed that these prospective teachers could be character- ized as "open—minded" which suggests that they approach in- formation and new ideas with a positive attitude. Therefore, it appears that these Michigan State teacher candidates are Open-minded about their professional work and about life in general. BIBLIOGRAPHY Association for Supervision and Curriculum DeveIOpment. Balance in the Curriculum. Yearbook 1961. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1961. Bicknell, John E. The Prediction of Effectiveness in Secondary School Teaching. New York: The Univer- sity of the State of New York, 1959. Biddle, Bruce J. and Ellena, William J. (eds.) Contemporarnyesearch on Teacher Effectiveness. Chicago: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1954. Braddock, Richard, Lloyd-Jones, and Schoer, Lowell. Research in Written Composition. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1963. Breer, Paul E. and Locke, Edwin A. Task EXperience as a Source of Attitudes. Illinois: The Dorsey Press, 1965. Bruner, Jerome S. The Process of Education. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1960. Corbin, Richard and Crosby, Muriel. Language Programs for the Disadvantaged. The Report of the NCTE Task Force on Teaching English to the Disadvantaged. Champaign, Illinois: The National Council of Teachers Of English, 1965. Coryell, Nancy G. Evaluation of Extensive and Intensive Teachingiof Literature. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1927. Covello, Leonard. The Heart Is the Teacher. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1958. ' Crosby, Muriel (ed.). Reading Ladders for Human Relations. Washington: American Council on Education, 1963. 93 94 The English Language Arts in the Secondary School. NCTE Curriculum Series. Vol. III. New York: Appleton Century-Crofts, 1959. Fries, C. C. American English Grammar. New York: Appleton- Century, 1940. Gage, N. L. (ed.). Handbook of Research on Teaching. Chicago: Rand McNally and Company, 1963. Grambs, Jean Dresden. Schools, Scholars and Society. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1965. Guth, Hans P. English Today and Tomorrow. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice—Hall, Inc., 1964. Hodenfield, G. K. and Stinnett, T. M. The Education of Teachers. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1961. Hook, J. N. The Teaching of High School English. New York: The Ronald Press, 1965° Jacob, P. E. Changing Values in College. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1957. Jewett, Arno (ed.). Improving English Skills for Culturally Different Youth in Large Cities. Washington, D. C.: Government Printing Office, Office of Education, 1964, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Kerlinger, Fred N. Foundations of Behavioral Research. Chicago: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1964. Loban, Walter, Ryan, Margaret, and Squire, James R. Teaching Language and Literature. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1961. Marckwardt, Albert H. and Walcott, Fred. Facts About Current Usage. New York: Appleton-Century, 1938. Mearns, Hughes. Creative Power - The Education of Youth in the Creative Arts. 2nd ed. revised. New York: Dover, 1958. Mersand, Joseph. Attitudes Toward English Teaching. Philadelphia: Chilton Company Book Division, 1961. 95 National Council of Teachers of English. The English Language Arts in the SecondarygSchool. Prepared by the Commission of the English Curriculum. New York: Appleton-Century—Crofts, Inc., 1956. Palmer, Orville. "Seven Classic Ways of Grading Dishonestly," English Journal or Michigan Education Journal, January 1, 1963, 375. Riccio, Anthony C. and Cyphert, Frederick R. Teachingyin America. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Books, Inc., 1962. Rokeach, Milton. The Open and Closed Mind. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1960. Rosenblatt, Louise. Literature as EXploration. New York: Appleton Century, 1938. Ryans, David G. Characteristics of Teachers. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1960. Sanford, Nevitt (ed.). The American College. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1962. Sherif, Carolyn W., Sherif, Muzafer, and Nebergall, Roger E. Attitude and Attitude Change. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Company, 1965. Smith, M. Brewster, Bruner, Jerome S., and White, Robert W. Opinions and Personality. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1956. Squire, James R. The Responses of Adolescents While Reading Four Short Stories. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1964. Standlee, Lloyd S. and Popham, James W. Professional and Academic Preparation of Teachers Related to Two Indices of Teaching Performance. Indiana: Indiana University, 1958. Stone, George Winchester (ed.). Issues, Problems, and Approaches in the Teachingiof English. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1961. Strang, Ruth, McCullough, Constance, and Traxler, Arthur. .Problems in the Improvement of Reading. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1961. 96 Symonds, Percival. "Practice versus Grammar in the Learning of Correct Usage," Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. XXII, No. 2 (February, 1931), 81-95. Thurstone, L. L. and Chave, E. J. The Measurement of Attitude. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1937. Weiss, M. Jerry. English Teacher's Reader. New York: Odyssey, 1962. Womack, T. "Teachers' Attitudes toward Current Usage," English Journal, XLVIII (1959), 186-190. APPENDIX A ENGLISH TEACHER ATTITUDE INVENTORY This inventory consists of statements designed to sample attitudes about the teaching of English in high school. There is considerable disagreement as to what these attitudes should be; therefore, there are no right or wrong answers. What is wanted is your own individual Opinion about the statements. Read each statement and decide how YOU feel about it. Then circle your answer in the Space provided according to the following code. If you strongly agree, circle the letters "SA” If you agree, circle the letter "A" If you are undecidgd or uncertain, circle the letter "U” If you disagree, circle the letter "D” If you strongly disagree, circle the letters "SD" Think in terms of the general situation rather than specific ones. 97 -.._.-. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA 51> > > >, SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 10. ll. 12. 13. 14. 15. l6. 17. 18. 19. 98 My knowledge of the English language is, at the present time, poor. I feel adequately prepared to teach English grammar. I find writing a pleasurable experience. I feel adequately trained to teach writing. I believe that everyone should write English as it is taught in the traditional grammar books. A student composition should receive a failing grade if it has five Spelling errors or three sentence fragments or three run-on sentences. The English language is, in general, largely in need of a return to the prescriptions of correct grammar. Without a precise set of rules, English will degenerate to colloquialism and slang. The dictionary is the final arbiter in determining the acceptability of an item of usage. Language must change if it is to accommodate changing times and conditions. A word means whatever a given generation or group of people make it mean. No word has one and only one acceptable pronunciation. The effective writer of English considers the subject, the circumstances, and the audience in determining diction and usage. The English teacher has an obligation to discourage the acceptance of such usage as: "It's me." "Who did you bring?” If students can master traditional grammar, they will become good writers. An English teacher's responsibility in correcting compositions is to point out all the student's errors so he can correct them. A word has little meaning apart from the way in which pe0p1e use it. Learning to write requires practice in writing. Writing instruction should be related to the rest of the English curriculum, to other subjects and activities, and to pupil concerns beyond the school. .. _ . ) . )4 x . «. ~l vrl r . t .l I r . 1 ¢ . r all . .1 I I I ,{~ ‘ .I r .. Hock. . . . O . C O . V. s _ .. p .. . fl 0 . . '.« . .‘In . l . . J. a. r. I o v. . .1 V .. . . ..- . . A r; -. ... SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 99 -2- In evaluating a pupil composition, it is desirable to focus on only a few problems at a time. Sentence fragments are not errors in sentence structure but errors in punctuation due to a failure to observe patterns of pitch, stress, and juncture in Spoken English. Students need to learn how to use appropriateness as the standard for good language. The making up of a new word on the basis of an established one is a deterioration of the language. Having organization, a thesis, and unity are more important than mechanics in writing. In grading papers, a teacher should allow pupils some choice in tOpic and style of writing. Pre-thinking is an important aSpect of the writing process. Since writing is an expression of thought, the focal point of a teacher's evaluation of a student's composition should be its content. For most pupils, short papers, frequently assigned and evaluated, promote writing skill more effectively than longer papers, occasionally required. It is not desirable to mark every error in most students' compositions. All nouns can be divided into four parts-~common, prOper, collective, abstract. Writing is the attempt to control, to state, to define, to tie down, what we mean or feel. The Slovenly use of words is the reflection of Slovenly thinking. SlOppy diction is at best confusing and at worst irreSponsible. Competence in traditional English grammar goes hand in hand with the ability to think clearly. The hardest part of teaching English is instruction in grammar; consequently, it needs more time in the English curriculum. Methodology, as prerequisite for a license to teach, has precedence over basic knowledge of subject matter as the fundamental qualification for teaching. . n . l, o a . \,, . . .y . . l .l\ . . . . 94 a .,\ l . o . j. ,...v .. . \. .y . f. . .V . v I . .I . . A 01 Q. I \ . 0 Al . I . a . c . . i . . . r J l . p . l. c . rw . ~ i —m . . .. .r 4 . n!) .. .e 0.. . . . f. .. , .. .. .9. 1 .1 , . \ \ I 0 1 . n . .I . s ,v .. . I a. . . .. . . . . - av . . , . .. V .. L f. l. ,A .. \ r .l e v . I -n \ v. o , \. . , p . . d . . v .. I . . \ SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. SO. 51. 52. S3. 100 -3- Education courses should be eliminated and replaced by additional courses in English grammar, literature, and composition in the college curriculum as prerequisites for teachers of English. The writing of students whose English teacher is devoted to teaching rules and regulations usually lacks Spirit and individuality of style. The evaluation of student compositions should reflect principles of modern linguistics. The evaluation of student compositions should reflect principles of educational psychology. A study of Latin grammar should be required of every English major. English teachers must teach traditional grammar because it is so important in learning a foreign language. Practice in writing is more effective than grammar drill in helping students learn to write. Diagramming of sentences helps students write better. All high school graduates should be at least able to name and define the eight parts of Speech. Knowledge of grammatical terminology may be the shortest way to correct usage. It would be well to return to the teaching of parsing and diagramming so that students will acquire the habit of examining their sentences to see that all the parts of Speech fit together prOperly. All prOSpective teachers of high school English should be required to take some course work in linguistics as part of their preparation for teaching. A sentence is a group of words, having a subject and predicate, that express a complete thought. I like to read. I feel adequately prepared to teach literature. It is helpful for English teachers to read their professional journals as well as periodicals that deal with literature and comtemporary affairs. English teachers should read at least a book a month. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 54. SS. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 101 -4- It is important that English teachers get readable and appealing books into the hands of students who have never liked to read. Good choices for the objective of number 54 are: The Scarlet Letter, Wuthering Heights, and Silas Marner. The reading of such books as Hot Rod, Crash Case, and Ben Casey are not really prOper literature for classroom discussion or instruction. Students read more and develOp greater skill in reading when they have books that relate to their interests. An important job of English teachers is to learn what students are interested in and then help them find books which are related to these interests. The English teacher, because of university training and critical perceptiveness, should decide what students will read for class discussion. Controversial books such as Catcher $3 the Rye and For Whom The Bell Tolls are not proper subject matter for general high school class discussion. All students who graduate from high school should have read: Silas Marner, Julius Caesar, and The Odyssgy. The English teacher must interpret literature for his students so they can know what it means. There is a clearly defined line between great literature and poor literature. The primary objective of literature is to teach students how to live in society. Poetry teaching is difficult. Children have a natural aversion to the language of poetry. The English teacher should expose children only to the best poetry so they will come to prize it. The English teacher, in an attempt to develop an interest in reading, should not resort to using second rate materials. Literary appreciation can be deveIOped in a child, even though he actively dislikes the selections that the teacher is teaching. One important objective of English teaching is to promote the reading of classical literature by all students. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 102 -5- Students will learn to like literature through a formalized study of the rules, conventions, and techniques that authors employ. There are great works of literature that should be read by all high school graduates. Most literature must have a direct impact on a reader here and now if it is to be a meaningful experience for him, now or in the future. Television viewing has been reSponsible for a decrease in book reading among students. One of the most essential objectives of poetry teaching is for students to master the definitions of imagery, i.e., simile, metaphor, etc. An objective of literature teaching is to teach the democratic way of life. Another objective of literature teaching is to help each pupil deve10p a phiIOSOphy of life. The competition of television and cartoon books with good reading is not being overcome in literature classes. Lack of sufficient familiarity with "good books" or the "classics" is a cause of deficiencies in Spelling, grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, and punctuation. The exposure to "good literature” is insufficiently linked with a requirement that a student analyze the "good writing" inherent in these works. Young people are reading more and better books now than ever before. Students are building personal libraries of superior paperbacks. The Spur to collecting often comes from a teacher's suggestion. Students regard the classics as school assignments and read them as such. Students are learning to be more discriminating in their reading habits and are reading a great deal in the field of nonfiction eSpecially. One result of viewing movie or TV presentations of stories is that it has motivated students to read more. Students know far less traditional grammar than they used to which handicaps their work whenever they must decipher a difficult passage of prose or poetry. ,. ' , ' l r . v u A . A . . Y J , | , . . . ‘ . . l . ' . ‘ c SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD 87. SD 88. SD 89. SD 90. SD 91. SD 92. SD 93. SD 94. SD 95. SD 96. SD 97. SD 98. SD 99. SD 100. SD 101. 103 -6- At present many secondary schools are still working with some of the classics such as Great Expectations when they could accomplish a great deal more by reading books which have some vital interest to teenagers. Reading good books can be one of the best methods by which a person can expand his vocabulary. A teacher must know the literature he is teaching. A teacher should be enthusiastic about the literature he is teaching if he is to be effective in helping students to appreciate and understand it. In the teaching of literature there is a tendency by some teachers to use materials which have little rank as literature just because they appeal to the child's interest. Reading lists during the school year and summer vacation, with mandatory reports, both oral and written, would encourage more reading by all students. As a result of number 92, those students who claim they dislike reading "good books" would probably learn to appreciate and enjoy them. Literature should be taught apart from composition. A few works of literature taught intensively as Opposed to many taught extensively help students better understand the nature of literature. The classic novels prepare students to read the contemporary novel with understanding. When a difficult passage in a book is encountered, the teacher should indicate to the students that they are too young or inexperienced to understand it. In connection with number 97, the teacher should have the students skip the passage and fill in with an explanation of his own. Since the meaning of poetry is often obscure, it is the responsibility of the English teacher to interpret poetry for the students. To help students learn to appreciate poetry, it is advisable to teach units of particular types of poetry, i.e., narrative, etc. Having students memorize certain classic lines of poetry, i.e. "To be or not to be...," is a good device to help the students appreciate the beauty of poetic language. at... SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 104 -7- The rightness and wrongness of answers in the interpretation of poetry is not the important matter; more important is encouraging students to attempt interpretation. It is advantageous to relate poetry teaching to large theme units that involve short stories, essays, etc. The main objective of literature teaching is to help students learn about themselves and how they relate to the world around them. A good part of secondary school English teaching should be necessaril concerned with composition, written and oral, and with t a study of language. Only a small part of secondary school literature teaching should be devoted to a purely historical Study. An English teacher should be knowledgeable about the nature of language develOpment in children and its relation to the skills of reading, writing, and Speaking. Objective tests challenge students to think. Since many students are in need of remedial reading instruc- tion, all English teachers should have adequate professional training in this area. Programmed texts in traditional grammar will help students become good writers of compositions because their use frees the teacher from teaching grammar lessons and he can subsequently assign and mark more student compositions per term. The most effective organization of an English program is the integration of literature and composition with speech taught as a separate course. An English teacher has the obligation of becoming familiar with the significant research in his field as well as the field of education. An English teacher should broaden his teaching activity to include research. An English teacher should participate in the work of national and regional associations for the improvement of the teaching of high school English. An English teacher should continue his study of the field through summer institutes and graduate work at a college or university. SA SA SA SA SA SA SA. SA. SA. SA. SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD SD 116. 117. 118. 119. 120. 121. 122. 123. 124. 125. 126. 127. 128. 105 -3- The failure to understand the relationship between speech and writing has been one of the chief obstacles in imparting to our students both a real literacy and a confident com- petence in speaking. The principles of speech and of speaking should be taught as thoroughly as writing or reading. The time allotted for speech work in English classrooms is generally too brief. Oral English should be tied in with all phases of English, i.e., poetry - drama - composition - literature. Television instruction in literature can be very effective because the TV teacher can cover more material more thoroughly since he has no interruptions. Instructional television is most likely to offer serious competition to conventional classroom teaching when it becomes more integrated with programmed instruction. , The new self-instructional devices such as teaching machines and programmed books offer many important advantages in some of the areas in which conventional classroom teaching is weakest: drill, follow-up, acceleration, reinforcement, and pacing. Programmed instruction solves the teacher's problem in dealing with students of different capacities since they are able to move ahead at their own rates. The crucial advantage of a programmed text is that at every step it provides a check on comprehension. Democracy in the English class is desirable because the nature of writing and literature study lends itself to a sharing of Opinions which leads to a group consensus. It is easy for an English teacher to determine early who are the able English students; consequently, it is good to separate them from the less able. Since the European schools traditionally place much emphasis on academic subjects such as language and litera- ture, it would be well for American English teachers to imitate some of their methods. It is important for English teachers to train the minds of young people to reSpond to the ideas contained in good literature. ml“ .v .. u I. l . «.l I . . . . . l. . . l . . l . . e. ._ . . . . . - .. . .. A 1 . o I . . .o. . . . u . . c . . .1. .. r. .5. L . . l . F . .u. HI I . u I- . . x x . o .. I . v . .- . . . \ . c . . . . 1.! y . - . . . . . .- y s 2 I v . o e . . r . u . . . . ... l . \. r . I I . .o ,D . . y. . I . Q . 1,. . . . 2 1 - . a .. SA A U D SD 129. SA A U D SD 130. 106 -9- It is not the function of an English teacher to help students become socially adjusted to life through the use of the language arts program. It is advisable for English teachers to fail the large number of students who do not measure up to the standards of correct writing or who cannot appreciate good literature. APPENDIX B DIRECTIONS FOR PILOT SAMPLE To: Cooperating English Teachers From: Thomas Pietras, Michigan State University Subject: English Teacher Attitude Inventory The questionnaire you are about to respond to has been con- structed to measure the attitudes of prospective secondary English teachers about to graduate from M.S.U. toward the teaching of English in high school. This will constitute part of the research I am doing for my doctoral dissertation in English Education and Curriculum. Your sincere and honest responses to the items will help me judge the value of the queStionnaire. Your responses will be confidential. It is my hope that you will adhere to the following sugges- tions as you prepare to respond to the questionnaire. 1. Do not discuss the items with anyone before responding to them. 2. Choose a time to respond when you can be free from distractions or interruptions. 3. Respond to all the items in a single session, i.e., do not answer 50 one day, 50 the next, etc. 4. There is no time limit but work as rapidly as you can. Please respond.Eg evegy item. Thank you very much for your cooperation and help- 107 APPENDIX C RD SCALE Below are statements about a number of important social and personal questions. The best answer to each statement below is your personal opinion. We have tried to cover many dif- ferent and opposing points of View; you may find yourself agreeing strongly with some of the statements, disagreeing just as strongly with others, and perhaps uncertain about others; whether you agree or disagree with any statement, you can be sure that many other pe0p1e feel the same as you do. Read each statement and then mark your answer sheet accord- ing to how much you agree or disagree with it. Please mark every one. Use the following key: +1 I AGREE A LITTLE -1 I DISAGREE A LITTLE +2 I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2 I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE +3 I AGREE VERY MUCH -3 I DISAGREE VERY MUCH l. A person who thinks primarily of his own happiness is beneath contempt. 2. The main thing in life is for a person to want to do something important. 3. In a discussion I often find it necessary to repeat my- self several times to make sure I am being understood. 4. Most people just don't know what's good for them. 5. In times like these, a person must be pretty selfish if he considers his own happiness primarily. 6. A man who does not believe in some great cause has not really lived. 7. I'd like it if I should find someone who would tell me how to solve my personal problems. 108 10. ll. 12. 13. 14. 15. l6. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 109 +1 I AGREE A LITTLE -l I DISAGREE A LITTLE +2 I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2 I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE +3 I AGREE VERY MUCH -3 I DISAGREE VERY MUCH Of all the different philosophies which have existed in this world there is probably only one which is correct. It is when a person devotes himself to an ideal or cause that his life becomes meaningful. In this complicated world of ours the only way we can know What is going on is to rely upon leaders or experts who can be trusted. There are a number of persons I have come to hate because of the things they stand for. There is so much to be done and so little time to do it in. It is better to be a dead hero than a live coward. A group which tolerates too much difference of Opinion among its own members cannot exist for long. It is only natural that a person should have a much better acquaintance with ideas he believes in than with ideas he opposes. While I don't like to admit this even to myself, I some- times have the ambition to become a great man, like Einstein or BeethoVen or Shakespeare. Even though freedom of speech for all groups is a worth- while goal, it is unfortunately necessary at times to restrict the freedom of certain political groups. If a man is to accomplish his mission in life, it is sometimes necessary to gamble "all or nothing at all." Most pe0p1e just don't give a "damn" about others. .A person who gets enthusiastic about a number of causes is likely to be a pretty "wishy-washy" sort of person. To compromise with our political opponents is dangerous because it usually leads to the betrayal of our own side. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 110 +1 I AGREE A LITTLE -1 I DISAGREE A LITTLE +2 I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2 I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE +3 I AGREE VERY MUCH -3 I DISAGREE VERY MUCH If given the chance, I would do something that would be of great benefit to the world. _In times like these it is often necessary to be more on guard against ideas put out by certain pe0p1e or groups in one's own camp than by those in the opposing camp. .In a heated discussion I generally become so absorbed in what I am going to say that I forget to listen to what the others are saying. Once I get wound up in a heated discussion I just can't stop. There are two kinds of pe0p1e in this world: those who are on the side of truth and those who are against it. Man on his own is a helpless and miserable creature. The United States and Russia have just about nothing in common. In the history of mankind there have probably been just a handful of really great thinkers. The highest form of government is a democracy and the highest form of democracy is a government run by those who are most intelligent. The present is all too often full of unhappiness. .It is the future that counts. Unfortunately, a good many people with whom I have discussed important social and moral problems don't really understand what is going on. Fundamentally, the world we live in is a pretty lonely place. It is often desirable to reserve judgment about what's going on until one has had a chance to hear the opinions of those one respects. The worst crime a person can commit is to attack pubw licly the people who believe in the same thing he does. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 111 +1 I AGREE A LITTLE -l I DISAGREE A LITTLE +2 I AGREE ON THE WHOLE -2 I DISAGREE ON THE WHOLE +3 I AGREE VERY MUCH -3 I DISAGREE VERY MUCH In the long run the best way to live is to pick friends and associates whose tastes and beliefs are the same as one's own. Most of the ideas which get published nowadays aren't worth the paper they are printed on. It is only natural for a person to be rather fearful of the future. My blood boils whenever a person stubbornly refuses to admit he's wrong. When it comes to difference of opinion in religion we must be careful not to compromise with those who believe differently from the way we do. APPENDIX D LETTER MAILED TO SAMPLE MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 263 Erickson Hall East Lansing, Michigan 48823 Telephone: 355-2368 Last year Dean Paul A. Varg appointed a committee to study the preparation the College of Arts and Letters provides for prospective secondary school teachers. The English depart- ment is part of this committee. I am writing to you on their behalf. A very significant aspect of this study concerns the reactions of students like you who are about to graduate from Michigan State University and begin a high school teaching career. Your sincere and honest responses to two questionnaires can be very helpful in evaluating the undergraduate English teacher preparation program at this university. I hope you will be willing to fill out the two questionnaires at a time that will be convenient to you. In order to ascer- tain this I have included an information sheet that I would like you to complete. On the basis of its information I will contact you to arrange a meeting. Since time is an important factor, your prompt reply will be sincerely appreciated. I want you to know that your COOperation in this study will be enormously helpful in providing valuable evidence for possible revision of the English teacher preparation program. The ultimate benefit to you will be, it is hoped, better qualified colleagues in our secondary school English depart- ments. Sincerely, Thomas P. Pietras College of Education 112 APPENDIX E ENGLISH TEACHER PREPARATION Information Sheet Last Name First Name Initial Student No. Birth Date Advisor Present Address Present Phone Number Student Teaching Data: Term Year School Location Coordinator Supervising Teacher Graduation Data: This Term: Yes No OR Indicate Term Year If you are now student teaching, do you intend to return to campus for any visits or social functions? Please give approximate dates and where you will be staying. If you are now enrolled on campus, indicate the days and hours most convenient for you to spend about an hour com- pleting the questionnaires. 11.3 APPENDIX F FOLLOW-UP LETTER MAILED TO SAMPLE A short time ago you should have received a letter eXplain- ing an English teacher preparatory study being conducted at Michigan State University. Your cooperation in this study is essential to its success. I am writing to you now to encourage you to fill out the information sheet enclosed so that I can arrange a meeting with you. I have also included the original letter which eXplains the study. Sincerely, Thomas P. Pietras 114 Card 1 Columns 1, 2, 3 4 5 10, 11 13, 14, 15 17, 18 20, 21 24 to 80 Card 2 Columns 1, 2, 3 6 to 78 APPENDIX G DATA CODE SHEET Student Name Code Number Card Number Project English 402 Regular English 402 Neither of these English 403 No English 403 English 201 NO English 201 Total English Credits Total Education Credits mm OLA) OWNH l—‘ Grade Point Average Total University Credits Earned Rokeach Dogmatism Scale Score Responses to items 1 to 57 of the English Teacher Attitude Inventory Student Name Code Number 2 = Card Number blank Responses to items 58 to 130 of the English Teacher Attitude Inventory. 115 ”'il'it'lllflaljlllfilliiliflljlllfliflllml‘S