Theory suggests that effective real-time decision-making in classrooms requires teachers to have flexible access to rich and well-organised knowledge of effective teaching practices. Yet prior research on the role and importance of procedural knowledge has been equivocal. This exploratory study used a new video measure of procedural knowledge to examine relationships with observed classroom quality, and establish which opportunities to learn (qualifications, professional development, classroom experience) predict greater knowledge. It focused on preschool teachers’ knowledge of oral language pedagogy, on the basis that early language provides the foundation for children’s later learning.

The sample comprised 104 teachers participating in a wider RCT, designed to evaluate a professional development intervention. Teachers were shown two short videos of classroom interactions and asked to identify instances of effective practice. Responses were coded to capture three facets: perceiving (the ability to identify salient language-supporting strategies); naming (the use of specific professional vocabulary to describe interactions); and interpreting (the ability to interpret the interactions observed). The three facets could be empirically distinguished. Explicit and higher-order procedural knowledge (naming, interpreting) most strongly predicted classroom quality. Formal learning opportunities were stronger predictors of procedural knowledge than classroom experience. Intervention effects on classroom quality were mediated by knowledge. Implications for workforce development are discussed.

理论表明，在教室中进行有效的实时决策需要教师灵活地访问丰富且组织良好的有效教学实践知识。然而，以前关于程序知识的作用和重要性的研究是模棱两可的。这项探索性研究使用了一种新的过程知识视频录像，来检查与观察到的课堂质量之间的关系，并确定哪些学习机会（资格，专业发展，课堂经验）可以预测更多的知识。在早期语言为孩子以后的学习打下基础的基础上，它着重于学前教师的口语教学法知识。

样本包括104名教师，他们参加了更广泛的RCT，旨在评估专业发展干预措施。向老师们展示了两个简短的课堂互动视频，并要求他们确定有效练习的实例。对响应进行编码以捕获三个方面：感知（识别突出的语言支持策略的能力）；命名（使用特定的专业词汇来描述互动）；和解释（解释观察到的相互作用的能力）。这三个方面可以凭经验加以区分。显式和高级程序知识（命名，解释）最强烈地预测教室质量。正式的学习机会比过程经验更能预测程序知识。干预对课堂质量的影响是由知识介导的。讨论了对劳动力发展的影响。