Preservice Elementary Teachers’ Economic Literacy: Closing Gates to Full Implementation of the Social Studies Curriculum

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine if the level of preservice teachers’ economic literacy might serve as a gatekeeper to teaching economics competencies. The participants ( n=84) were teacher candidates in an elementary education program in their final methods courses prior to their teacher internship. The findings supported the intuitive belief that elementary teachers lack the economic literacy and confidence needed to teach economics concepts in the elementary curriculum. This deficit can serve as a gatekeeper to teaching economics competencies leading to curricular disjuncture between the established curriculum and actual practice in the classroom.