Theory to Practice: The Impact of Microteaching on Pre-service Teachers' Readiness for Reading Instruction

Despite coursework on scientifically based reading instruction, many teacher preparation programs offer limited structured, practice-based teaching opportunities that bridge coursework to classroom practice (Drake & Walsh, 2020). This persistent gap between theory and practice contributes to a broader challenge in preparing pre-service teachers to teach reading effectively, a concern illuminated by national declines in elementary literacy achievement (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). Microteaching, a low-stakes cycle of planning, teaching, feedback, and reflection, offers one promising method for bridging this divide (Allen & Ryan, 1969; Amobi, 2005; Mergler & Tangen, 2010). This exploratory qualitative case study examined how two undergraduate pre-service teachers in a reading methods course at Mid-Atlantic University experienced microteaching cycles. Specifically, it explored how participants identified the impact of microteaching on their content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and self-efficacy in teaching reading. Data sources included semi-structured interviews and course-based written reflections. Thematic analysis revealed that microteaching supported participants in applying theory to practice, deepening their understanding of reading instruction, and developing instructional confidence. These findings support faculty and programmatic efforts at Mid-Atlantic University to leverage microteaching in the reading methods course to advance instructional readiness in reading instruction.