Student teachers’ changing perceptions of their subject matter competence during an initial teacher training programme

Abstract

Summary Part of the research programme of the Leverhulme Primary Project was to survey postgraduate student teachers at the beginning and end of an initial training course. They were asked to state how competent they felt to teach the National Curriculum, with their existing subject matter knowledge. Items were drawn from the core subject areas of the National Curriculum and information technology; the standard was at a level capable of being achieved by able 11‐year‐olds. Diary entries and interview data were used to probe student teachers’ perceptions of developing professional awareness. In general, student teachers’ self‐rated competence increased over the year's course and the changes were statistically significant for each subject as a whole. Although the shifts were not uniform, the changes within subjects show statistical significance for half the statements of attainment.