scholarly journals “This is why students feel lost when they go into teaching practice”: English Language Teachers’ Views on their Initial Teacher Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 371-387
Author(s):  
Sue Garton
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Significant Shift ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Quantitative And Qualitative Research

The last 20-25 years have seen a significant shift in the views about what teachers need to know to be able to teach. This shift has led to new developments in the theory of second language teacher education (SLTE) and a growth in research in this area. One area of research concerns the attitudes and expectations of those learning to become teachers. While most studies in this area focus on teacher education programmes in BANA countries, this article looks at data from student teachers studying in Russia and Uzbekistan. The study employed a quantitative and qualitative research design, using a researcher-designed on-line questionnaire. Through snowball sampling, data from 161 students and recent graduates in the two countries were collected, analysed, and compared to investigate the content of SLTE programmes. The study identified what the novice teachers felt were the strengths and weaknesses of their programme, and what changes they would like to see. Results showed that while the respondents were mainly satisfied with their methodology, and theoretical linguistics courses, they felt the need for more practice, both teaching and language practice. The data also revealed that, in Uzbekistan in particular, the idea of global English struggles to take hold as native-speaker models remain the norm. The implications of the study underline the need for SLTE to explicitly link theory to practice and to promote the idea of varieties of English, rather than focus on native-speaker norms.

scholarly journals Professional Feedback Loop: How Can Practising Teachers’ Reflection Inform English Language Teacher Education?

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-270
Author(s):  
Mona Evelyn Flognfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Research ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
English Language ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Pedagogical Issues ◽  
Language Teacher Education ◽  
Language Teacher

Denne artikkelen presenterer en studie av den type læring praktiserende engelsklærere i norsk grunnskole selv rapporterer etter et års videreutdanningsstudium i engelsk. Et pedagogisk utviklingsprosjekt på egen skole inngikk som en sentral del av studiet. Studien gir et innblikk i hvilke aspekter ved skolefaget engelsk som erfarne lærere definerer som hoved­utfordringer i undervisningen og utbyttet de har hatt av prosjektene sine. Artikkelen bygger på data fra den kritiske refleksjonen som lærerne gir uttrykk for mot slutten av prosjektene sine. På bakgrunn av kvalitativ innholdsanalyse av prosjektrapportene identifiseres vesentlige felles språkdidaktiske elementer i lærernes konseptualisering av sin egen rolle og egne prioriteringer overfor elevenes læring. Denne typen lærerforskning kan få viktige følger for opplæringen i studiefaget engelsk i lærerutdanningen. Relevante forestillinger blant praktiserende lærere kan kanaliseres tilbake til lærerutdanningen for på den måten å mediere studentenes profesjonsforberedelse og deres framtidige arbeid som engelsklærere. Sentrale språkdidaktiske tema blir trukket fram, som i sin tur kan fungere som analytiske begreper og verktøy for engelskstudentene i forberedelsen til de komplekse praktiske utfordringer i klasse­rommet. Kontakt med denne typen forskning på egen undervisning som erfarne lærere har gjennomført med fokus på det de opplever som engelskfaglige utfordringer, kan hjelpe lærerstudentene til å knytte sammen teori og praksis og bidra til å senke deres affektive filter når de starter som lærere. Denne artikkelen munner ut i en diskusjon om hvilke former denne tilbakemeldingen fra praksisfeltet kan ta.Nøkkelord: utdanning av engelsklærere, profesjonsutvikling, læreres forskning, læreres læring, språkdidaktikkAbstractThis article presents a study of the learning reported by practising teachers of English in Norwegian primary and lower secondary schools. The teacher reports were in connection with a year’s further-education course in English, which included a pedagogical development project at their own school. This study provides insights into what aspects of the subject the practising teachers defined as their main instructional challenges in the classroom and what their main learning outcomes were. The data for this article are critical reflections articulated by the teachers at the end of their projects. Based on qualitative content analysis, I identified salient language-pedagogical features and commonalities in the teachers’ conceptualisations of their role and priorities with respect to student learning. This kind of language teacher research can have important implications for the way English is taught in initial teacher education. Relevant teacher cognitions can be channelled back to student teachers to mediate their professional preparation in the teacher education programme and their future work as English teachers. The central language-pedagogical issues identified in their research can be used as analytical and reflective tools for student teachers in their preparation for the complex practicalities of the classroom. Exploring the research that practising teachers have conducted into challenges they identified can help students connect theory with practice as well as contribute to lowering the affective filter of novice teachers. This article ends with a discussion of possible forms that this professional feedback loop can take.Keywords: english language teacher education, professional development, teacher research and development, teacher learning, language pedagogy

scholarly journals European Experience of the Use of Information and Communication Technologies In Initial Education of the English Language Teachers

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleh Komar
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
English Language ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Online Technologies ◽  
European Experience ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
English Language Teachers

The article deals with the analysis of the peculiarities of the use of information and communication technologies in the process of initial education of future English language teachers in the countries of the European Union. The topicality of the problem is based on the current trends in the development of education, in the particular extensive use of online technologies and tools in the process of English language learning and English language teacher education.The purpose of the article is to study the European experience of the use of information and communication technologies in the initial education of the English language teachers and single out the most important and topical of them in order to outline the possibilities of their use in the initial education of teachers of English in a broader context.The methodology of the research is realized with the use of such methods as analysis, synthesis, generalization, analogy and interpretation of empirical data and theoretical concepts; observation and study of practical experience of higher educational institutions in Poland and Portugal as well as an interview with teachers and students of the above-mentioned institutions.As a result, the importance of the development of information and technological competencies in future teachers of English is grounded, the role of information and communication technologies in initial teacher education is determined. Various information and communication technologies used in the educational process, in particular offline technologies and tools as well as online technologies and resources, are presented and analyzed. Attention is also given to the use of E-learning and the implementation of massive open online courses into the initial teacher education of the English language teachers.The conclusion about the variability of information and communication technologies is made.

scholarly journals A Finnish model of teacher education informs a South African one: A teaching school as a pedagogical laboratory

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anni Loukomies ◽  
Nadine Petersen ◽  
Jari Lavonen
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Educational Innovation ◽  
Education Programme ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
African Context

In this study, we examined student teachers’ learning during their teaching placement period in Finland and South Africa. The setting of the inquiry in both countries was a ‘teaching’ school, affiliated to a university teacher education programme. The teaching school is also referred to as an educational innovation that was transferred from the Finnish context to the South African context. Data were collected through an interview protocol. The findings show that the students, like many of their counterparts in different parts of the world, focused on teaching tools and methods as well as classroom management as a gateway to their teaching career. The extended teaching placement period at both the university teaching schools was expected to yield some findings about the intersection of teaching practice and its supporting theories because of the close collaboration of the schools and the universities. Some of the findings satisfied this expectation while other parts did not, confirming that initial teacher education may be regarded as a platform for learning to be teachers, but it has its own limits even in a pedagogical ‘laboratory’. The transfer of the educational innovation was regarded as successful.

The enculturation of pre-service Emirati English language teachers

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-16
Author(s):  
Carmel Sandiford
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Language Teacher Education ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Content Type ◽  
English Language Teachers

Purpose – This article aims to report on a qualitative study that investigates the enculturation of a group of pre-service English language teachers over four years of a Bachelor of Education degree offered in a women ' s college in the United Arab Emirates. Design/methodology/approach – Bourdieu ' s “thinking tools” of field, habitus and capital provide the overarching theoretical framework and analytic tools to examine the processes of enculturation which impact on the student teachers as they participate in a program based on Western-oriented theories and practices. The study draws upon data gathered from focus group interviews with student teachers in the first and fourth years of the program to provide insights into their ways of thinking as future Emirati English language teachers. The article discusses the priorities that emerge as these student teachers validate, or otherwise, the theoretical principles and practices legitimated through the program. Findings – The findings suggest that influences bound by local, cultural and social forces contribute significantly to the student teachers ' perceived capacity to think and act as future Emirati English language teachers. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to one site but, given the findings, similar investigations into processes of enculturation and the appropriation or resistance of essential aspects of English language teacher training could be undertaken. Originality/value – There is limited research into English language teacher education programs in the Arab world. This research has potential applications for English language teacher education programs where there is intent to effect educational reform.

scholarly journals Student teachers’ views of their experiences in a Bachelor’s programme

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sene Van Heerden ◽  
Yusuf Sayed ◽  
Zahraa McDonald
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Content Knowledge ◽  
Classroom Practice ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Data Generation ◽  
Initial Development ◽  
Pedagogic Content Knowledge

Background: It is widely accepted that the quality of schools depends on the quality of teachers. Understanding what occurs while learning to teach is an important pursuit for acquiring a sense of the quality of teachers. The initial development of teachers is a critical point from which to activate such understanding.Aim: This study, therefore, examines the ways in which pedagogic content knowledge is developed within experiences that relate to initial teacher education programmes. Pedagogic content knowledge is a concept describing a form of knowledge related to transmitting subject matter knowledge to learners.Setting: A qualitative study was conducted with a cohort of participants in the final year of a bachelor’s degree programme.Methods: Data generation ensued from focus group discussions, complemented by questionnaire data. The study analysed data categorised according to themes.Results: Findings demonstrate that the participants found their initial teacher education programme to have had positive and negative influences with regard to the development of pedagogic content knowledge. Administrative duties, adapting to school contexts, relationships with people of influence (such as lecturers during initial teacher education and mentor teachers), teaching practice (which had the most profound influence on classroom practice) and professional knowledge and skills as taught during initial teacher education were all factors that had an impact on participants’ experiences in developing their pedagogic content knowledge.Conclusion: This paper argues for the need to rethink the structure of initial teacher education programmes in order to better facilitate the development of pedagogic content knowledge.

scholarly journals Assessing Core Didactic Competencies of Pre-service English Language Teachers During Practicum: A European Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Haggag Mohamed Haggag
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Management ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
English Language Teachers

This research discusses implementing a European document (European Portfolio of Student Teachers of Language EPOSTL) as a selfassessment tool. The research design experiments the European portfolio for pre-service language teachers (EPOSTL), which has been translated by the researcher and published by the Council of Europe. The portfolio is used with the aim of assessing the key teaching competencies of pre-service English language teachers during the teaching practice or the practicum. The paper examines key 5 descriptors of didactic competencies in the EPOSTL which are (Lesson planning- Conducting a lesson- classroom management- Independent learning- Assessment of learning). It highlights implementing the portfolios as means of assessing the competencies of language teachers in pre-service context. Instruments of the research include EPOSTL, teaching competence scale and portfolio assessment rubric. Results of implementing the portfolio on a sample of (N. 30) students at Hurghada Faculty of Education during their practicum (3 groups in 3 official language schools) are reported. The results indicate that using EPOSTL as a self-assessment tool has positive impacts on developing the five areas of the portfolio as measured by the Teaching Competencies Scale (TCS) designed by the researcher. The scale includes the main areas of the EPOSTL to be examined by the students while the fifth area "classroom management" was included as in the EPOSTL with "conducting a lesson" area. The recommendations include: implementing the electronic portfolios as self-assessment tools, the need for assessing didactic competencies using authentic assessment tools and designing valid and reliable tools of assessing the whole teaching practice or “practicum” of pre-service English language teachers.

scholarly journals Student Teachers as Future Researchers: How do Hungarian and Austrian Initial Teacher Education Systems Address the issue of Teachers as Researchers?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Csilla Pesti ◽  
János Gordon Győri ◽  
Erika Kopp
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Education Systems ◽  
Comparative Aspect ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Oriented Research

Even though initial teacher education is a rather short period in comparison to the other phases of a teacher’s career, it has a crucial role in shaping student teachers’ career-long activities. Many argue that everyday teaching in a classroom setting is comparable to conducting research, as teachers pursue experimenting with different strategies to teaching and learning, as they reflect on their own as well as their colleagues’ work, and as they make decisions about their future steps based on these experiences. This paper aims to reveal how the concept of teachers as researchers is addressed in initial teacher education programmes by answering two questions: How is the concept of teachers as researchers represented in these programmes? What kind of experiences do student teachers have regarding practice-oriented research? The research has a case study design with a comparative aspect, in which one Hungarian and one Austrian institution offering initial teacher education serve as the two cases. Results show that both universities have integrated research into their initial teacher education programmes, but in different ways and to different extents. An important notion is that although various courses that deal with research and/or research methodology and could contribute to the development of student teachers’ research competences could be identified, the activities of these courses are somewhat restricted to taking place within the university walls (e.g., discussion of research results), detached from practice. The study is expected to contribute to the understanding of structural similarities and differences in initial teacher education systems in the two countries that may foster or hinder the development of student teachers’ development during their school-based teaching practice, with a particular focus on those that are required to conduct practice-oriented research. 

scholarly journals I Want to Become a Teacher because…? Student-Teachers Change in Attitudes of Becoming Teachers in Austria and Kosovo

2022 ◽  
Vol 2022 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Fjolla Kaçaniku ◽  
Irene Maderbacher ◽  
Franz Erhard ◽  
Blerim Saqipi
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Attitudes ◽  
Student Teacher ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Teacher Education Programs ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Teaching Career

The motivation for career choice motivation of student-teachers is a well-studied topic with a representative theoretical basis in teacher education research that has a long-standing tradition in the international research landscape. However, in understanding the pressing questions of why young people choose to become teachers, only a few longitudinal and comparative studies have been carried out that focus on the development of motivation for choosing a teaching career. This longitudinal study reports on the effects of time within initial teacher education and how it influences student-teacher attitudes and motives about the teaching profession. This article is a product of a larger study that aims at addressing the existing literature gap by examining student-teacher change in attitudes of becoming teachers in Austria and Kosovo starting from initial teacher education, during early stages of their teaching career as novice teachers, and to more advanced stages of their teaching career. This is a panel study located within a longitudinal design. In this study, a questionnaire and student-teacher reflection texts were used as instruments. Data were collected in three phases during which 673 student-teachers participated in face-to-face administered questionnaire as follows: 341 (phase 1), 185 (phase 2), and 147 (phase 3), as well as 19 student-teacher reflections. Questionnaire data were analysed using the general linear model (GLM) with repeated measures test, whereas the reflection text data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings in this longitudinal study provide evidence that student-teacher attitudes and motives for becoming teachers can change over time during the initial teacher education in Austria and Kosovo, and they can be influenced by in-school experiences during teaching practice. The study concludes that motives for choosing a teaching career are primarily intrinsic, are not time-stable, and change over the course of studies. The study findings have clear implications for initial teacher education programs in addressing changes in student-teachers’ attitudes of becoming teachers. The insights gained from the findings of this study lead to recommendations that initial teacher education programs should strengthen teaching practice to better manage the preparation of students and teachers and their entry into the teaching profession.

Mentors and student-teachers “lesson studying” in initial teacher education

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wasyl Cajkler ◽  
Phil Wood
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teacher Learning ◽  
Student Teacher ◽  
Prospective Teachers ◽  
Lesson Study ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Initial Teacher Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study an adapted version of lesson used with mentors and student-teachers in a one-year initial teacher education (ITE) programme for prospective teachers of geography and modern languages. In partnership with eight secondary schools, the effectiveness of the lesson study cycle was evaluated as a vehicle for exploration of approaches to aid student-teacher learning during school placements. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 12 lesson study case studies were completed and analysed. Findings – Three principal findings emerged: first, most collaborating mentors and student-teachers reported that they engaged in a reflexive process, exploring the complexity of teaching, each learning more about the characteristics of teaching; second, in cases where collaboration allowed student-teachers a degree of autonomy, lesson study provided a collaborative scaffold for understanding the complexity of teaching, contributing to professional development along a continuum which the authors tentatively term “pedagogic literacy”; third and less positively, some mentors struggled to shed the shackles of traditional roles, dominating the discourse as advice-givers so that a traditional “parallel” approach to mentoring continued. Originality/value – The work expands the experiential base of lesson study efforts in ITE in the UK and elaborates a view of teacher learning that challenges reductive approaches to the preparation of new teachers. For the first time, it presents student-teacher and mentor perspectives on the use of lesson study in teaching practice in England.

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