which is clearly affecting their confidence to do what is best for under-threes, in relation to book sharing and reading. The wider context of the EYTS and the confusing positioning of this as a status in early years education (Fitzgerald and Kay, 2016) may also be impacting on practitioner confidence, leading to some vulnerability, lack of confidence and potential undermining of professional autonomy (Lloyd and Hallet, 2010; Moss, 2010, 2014), all of which were in evidence within the data. EYTTs are not necessarily in a position to challenge national rhetoric or local policy in schools, given that the context of their own parity is contestable and has not been given the equal status of QTS, pay or conditions. This may then lead to EYTTs feeling vulnerable, therefore easily influenced. On the other hand, Osgood (2006) suggests that practitioners can in fact the regulatory (p. 5) and become “resist gaze” professionals within their setting. Yet this in itself is problematic within the ECEC workforce, without guidance and support and to a certain extent to do so. ‘permission’ 5.2. What are Early Years Teacher Trainee’s views and beliefs about reading and how does this influence their practice with under-threes? Early reading has been described as and by “complex” “a mystery” practitioners. Practitioners in this research study consider reading and books primarily as an adult-led activity. They associate early reading and ‘educational’ literacy practices as sounding out letters and preparation for later reading of from a school or setting reading scheme. The discourse of ‘books’ “getting children interested in and to is prevalent in the views and books” “ready read” beliefs about reading. Practitioners believe that children will read when they are ready, which does not align with the views of reading being an active search for meaning promoted by researchers such as Clay (1991), Riley (1996), Smith (1984) and Whitehead (2007), or as the collaborative engaging process also advocated by many researchers (Bearne, 2003; Ehri, 2002). The practitioners in this study do not fully appreciate that the activities they provide with enable a secure foundation in reading and consequently lead to improving the life chances of the children in their settings. These aspects,
which is clearly affecting their confidence to do what is best for under-threes, in relation to book sharing and reading. The wider context of the EYTS and the confusing positioning of this as a status in early years education (Fitzgerald and Kay, 2016) may also be impacting on practitioner confidence, leading to some vulnerability, lack of confidence and potential undermining of professional autonomy (Lloyd and Hallet, 2010; Moss, 2010, 2014), all of which were in evidence within the data. EYTTs are not necessarily in a position to challenge national rhetoric or local policy in schools, given that the context of their own parity is contestable and has not been given the equal status of QTS, pay or conditions. This may then lead to EYTTs feeling vulnerable, therefore easily influenced. On the other hand, Osgood (2006) suggests that practitioners can in fact “resist the regulatory gaze” (p. 5) and become professionals within their setting. Yet this in itself is problematic within the ECEC workforce, without guidance and support and to a certain extent ‘permission’ to do so. 5.2. What are Early Years Teacher Trainee’s views and beliefs about reading and how does this influence their practice with under-threes? Early reading has been described as “complex” and “a mystery” by practitioners. Practitioners in this research study consider reading and books primarily as an ‘educational’ adult-led activity. They associate early reading and literacy practices as sounding out letters and preparation for later reading of ‘books’ from a school or setting reading scheme. The discourse of “getting children interested in books” and “ready to read” is prevalent in the views and beliefs about reading. Practitioners believe that children will read when they are ready, which does not align with the views of reading being an active search for meaning promoted by researchers such as Clay (1991), Riley (1996), Smith (1984) and Whitehead (2007), or as the collaborative engaging process also advocated by many researchers (Bearne, 2003; Ehri, 2002). The practitioners in this study do not fully appreciate that the activities they provide with enable a secure foundation in reading and consequently lead to improving the life chances of the children in their settings. These aspects,
120200555%20Thesis%20Final%20Karen%20Boardman%20April%202017.docx