Towards Pre-Service Teachers’ Theory-Praxis Nexus in Early Years English and Literacy Education - A Pilot Study

Oct 15, 2026

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International literature identifies a persistent challenge for initial teacher educators: helping Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) build an integrated understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. Despite growing research on the theory–practice relationship in teacher education, limited evidence focuses specifically on English and literacy teaching in higher education. This pilot study explores how PSTs from two Australian universities form connections between academic knowledge (theory) and professional experience (praxis) for early years English and literacy, reporting findings and proposing directions for further research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Literature Review

A Perennial Challenge in Teacher Education

Towards Pre-Service Teachers’ Theory-Praxis Nexus in Early Years English and Literacy Education: A Pilot Study Maryanne Pale Swinburne University of Technology Sarah Ohi Deakin University Lyn Kee Swinburne University of Technology Abstract: International literature highlights that a perennial challenge for initial teacher educators is to guide Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) to develop a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. Whilst there is a growing body of research that examines the relationship and/or the gap between theory and practice in teacher education, there remains a paucity of research that examines this phenomenon in the teaching of English and literacy units in higher education. This pilot study examined how PSTs from two Australian universities made connections and/or links (nexus) between their academic knowledge (theory) and professional experience (praxis) for the teaching of English and literacy in the early years (birth to eight years of age). This article reports on the study’s findings and offers propositions for future and ongoing research in this field. Keywords: Initial Teacher Education, Teacher Education, Pre-Service Teachers, English and Literacy Education, Higher Education. Introduction This pilot study addresses a conundrum in teacher education that pertains to PreService Teachers’(PSTs ’) understanding of the relationship between theory and practice. Formal theory is described as a tool that practitioners use to inform and reflect on the merits of their practice (Dewey, 1904) . Similarly, Freire (1999, p. 106) described how “theory is required to illuminate praxis” and that praxis is a considered and consciously theorised action or practice. The term nexus has been defined as: 1) a connection or link; 2) a connected group or series; 3) centre or focus (Merriam-Webster, 2022) . Although the term nexus is not commonly employed within teachers’ everyday vernacular, it is featured sporadically in research in the field of teacher education, particularly when describing aspects of the research-policy-praxis nexus (Ohi, 2008); the ever-evolving relationship between research, policy and teacher’s practice in educational settings. Tilson et al. (2017, p. 461) found that there was an “inseparable nexus of theory and practice” in relation to supporting Pre-Service Teachers (PSTs) to engage in a cycle of praxis that requires both reflection and action. For the context of this pilot study, ‘academic knowledge’ was conceptualised as theory and‘professional experience’ was conceptualised as praxis. As such, the authors recognise that theory and practice are inextricably linked and therefore adopt the term nexus when referring to the focus upon connections and/or links between theory and practice within this pilot study. Henceforth, the theory-praxis nexus is used in this context throughout this article. This pilot study also addresses a significant gap in the teacher education literature by examining PSTs’ theory-praxis nexus in relation to early years English and literacy education. The PSTs were from two Australian universities from the State of Victoria. In order to work in a Victorian school or early childhood setting, all teachers must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). They must comply with the requirements for registering and maintaining teacher registration, and this includes demonstrating their ability to engage successfully with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) . With the recent external accreditation requirements for the teaching of English and literacy (e.g., the teaching of early reading), this study contributes to a paucity of research that examines this phenomenon in the teaching of English and literacy units in higher education (AITSL, 2020) . In the State of Victoria, the ‘early years’ refers to children from birth to eight years of age and this is the definition used in thi

FAQs

What problem does the pilot study address in teacher education?

The study targets the difficulty initial teacher educators face in guiding Pre-Service Teachers to develop an integrated understanding of how theory connects to practice.

What was the focus of the pilot study regarding English and literacy?

It examined how PSTs from two Australian universities link academic knowledge (theory) with professional experience (praxis) when teaching early years English and literacy.

How is the ‘nexus’ between theory and praxis defined or used in the study?

Nexus is treated as connections and/or links between theory and practice, reflecting an inseparable relationship supported by prior research cited in the text.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Franzy