scholarly journals Connecting theory and practice in teacher education: English-as-a-foreign-language pre-service teachers’ perceptions of practicum experience

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Yin
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Classroom Context ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Reflective Journals ◽  
University Courses ◽  
University Course ◽  
The University ◽  
University Teacher Training

AbstractThe present study explores the perceptions of pre-service teachers regarding their experiences in the university teacher-training course during the practicum. In particular, the study focuses on how the pre-service teachers perceived the effects of the university course, as they tried to connect theory and practice during the practicum. A total of 15 participants enrolled in the methodology course for teaching speaking attended a 4-week practicum in secondary schools. They recorded their reflections on their teaching experiences in their reflective journals and they were interviewed after the practicum. The results of the study showed that the university course prepared them the fundamental skills to prepare for lessons and reflect on their teaching practice. However, the course failed to prepare them adequately to cope with the realities of the classroom context, as the university course only provided them with an idealistic view of the classroom. The implication of the study suggests ways to better connect university courses with the actual classroom practices to provide pre-service teachers the maximum support to practicalize their knowledge during the practicum.

Teachers’ perceptions of effective strategies for developing intercultural competence

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 333-358
Author(s):  
Xiaoping Gao
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teacher Perceptions ◽  
Intercultural Competence ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Factors Influencing

Abstract How to effectively integrate culture into second language teaching has long been of concern in foreign language education. Despite advances in theory and practice for intercultural language teaching, there has been little research to investigate factors influencing teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and perceptions. This study addresses this gap by examining teachers’ perceptions of effective strategies that foster students’ intercultural competence in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language and factors influencing their beliefs. Twenty-nine school and university teachers in Australia completed a survey and a focus group interview. Quantitative analyses revealed that teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the strategies varied despite an overall positive attitude towards the teaching of culture. Their beliefs were significantly influenced by their years of teaching experience, educational setting, and native language, but not by gender, age group and educational backgrounds. Qualitative analyses attribute the inconsistency in teacher perceptions to teachers’ disparate conceptualisations of culture, teaching experiences, and educational contexts associated with different curricular and pedagogical requirements and learner characteristics. The findings reinforce the necessity for providing teachers with professional training, along with pedagogical guidance and resources in order to facilitate their intercultural language teaching practices.

scholarly journals Teachers’ perceptions about their practices and needs for improvement: A qualitative research project at the University of Padova

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debora Aquario ◽  
Renata Clerici ◽  
Lorenza Da Re ◽  
Ettore Felisatti ◽  
Cristina Mazzucco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Educational Innovation ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Need For Support ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
The One ◽  
The University

The aim of the paper is to present the results deriving from the qualitative analysis of open-ended questions included in the Prodid Project Questionnaire. Prodid (Teacher professional development and  academic educational innovation) is a research project conducted in 2014-2015 at the University of Padova, which aimed at developing strategies to support academic teachers to enhance their teaching competences. The questions were formulated in order to collect teachers’  points of view on excellence and innovation, perceived critical aspects in their teaching practice and the need for support to improve teaching. The analysis was conducted through the use of software Atlas.ti 7 in order to highlight, on the one hand, the strengths and weaknesses of current teaching practices, and on the other hand, the need of support to improve teaching skills and enhance teachers’ professionalism. Findings are presented by illustrating the distributions based on the different Schools in the universities as well as the thematic issues that emerged from teachers’ answers. These results informed the professional development activities organized at the University for junior and senior staff in 2015.

Specifičnosti onlajn nastave leksikologije i sintakse srpskog jezika na Filološkom fakultetu: izazovi i perspektive

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Raković ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Teaching Process ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Insufficient Time ◽  
The Subject ◽  
University Level ◽  
The University ◽  
Case Based

The paper deals with the observation of the specifics of online teaching of lexicology and syntax of the Serbian language at the Faculty of Philology of students studying a foreign language. The aim is to notice possibilities of realization of online teaching. The research was conducted on the basis of the implementation of the teaching process in the subject Serbian language 2 (lexicology and syntax) and a survey of students on the advantages and disadvantages of online teaching. The analysis showed that online teaching provides shortcomings in the form of insufficient time for the teacher to deal in more detail with student ambiguities, but also provides numerous opportunities for progress in education – mostly in terms of student time organization and uninterrupted questioning, which is not always the case. Based on the obtained results, we will try to give methodological implications for teaching practice, which concern the possibility of improving online teaching of the Serbian language at the university level.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Evaluation of Constructivist Methodologies from the Balanced Scorecard

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (67) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Néstor Eduardo Flórez Oviedo ◽  
Maria Camila Jimenez Tabares
Keyword(s):  
Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
The Balanced Scorecard ◽  
Administrative Management ◽  
Road Map ◽  
University Courses ◽  
University Course ◽  
The University

It is common to evaluate university courses through the opinion of those involved in the training process, responding to a Likert-type evaluation format to synthesize teaching performance. This research arises with the intention of comprehensively evaluating the development of a course, including all the actors involved in the academic process. The main objective of this research is to determine the effectiveness of the constructivist training method in the business administration program, being evaluated from the Balanced Scorecard (CMI) and other administrative management tools; from the perspective of the student, the entrepreneur, the institution and teaching. For the validation of this tool, it is applied in a course in the process area (Process Management) and is replicated in those where the constructivist methodology is applied within the University. For the study, a quantitative and qualitative analysis was used, supported by surveys and a checklist, carried out and evaluated by students (38) and four businessmen. This research presents as main result a road map that helps the dynamics of the evaluation of education in an integral way in each university course and at the same time contributes to improve the performance of the different actors involved in higher education.

scholarly journals The Significance of Theoretical Foundations in Enhancing Teaching Practices: Teachers’ Perceptions and Use of Learner-centered Approach in EFL Classrooms

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustapha BOUDJELAL
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Active Research ◽  
The University ◽  
Current Paradigm ◽  
Theoretical Foundations

Undeniably, the realm of teaching English as a foreign language still embraces active research that continuously looks for approaches and methods which may contribute to a more efficient instruction of the target language. These theoretical foundations enable the instructor to appropriately implement the outlined approach along its salient features to achieve the desired outcomes. Despite this tight rapport, teachers of English at the University of Mostaganem tend to rely on their common-sense teaching practices that are mainly informed by their experience of teaching EFL. The gap between the two extremes theory and practice, the premise of this paper, may be widened as teachers do not develop accurate and scientific understandings of certain pedagogical concepts, in this case, learner-centeredness as agreed on by professional academics, let alone to apply it along its proper standards. The pedagogical sequel of such misunderstanding mainly relate to random references to both teacher and learner-centered approaches in classroom teaching practices. The study via a detailed teachers’ questionnaire revealed that teachers of English, in addition to the cursory understandings they develop in relation to the very meaning of a learner-centered approach, tend to eschew developing learners’ metacognitive skills in their teaching practices. Most importantly, they are likely to rely on traditional ways of assessment instead of authentic frameworks, a cardinal feature within the current paradigm.

scholarly journals OCENIANIE KOMPETENCJI STUDENTÓW – PRZYSZŁYCH NAUCZYCIELI JĘZYKA OBCEGO PRZEZ NAUCZYCIELI – OPIEKUNÓW PRAKTYK, NA PRZYKŁADZIE JĘZYKA FRANCUSKIEGO

Neofilolog ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 195-211
Author(s):  
Monika Grabowska
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Foreign Language Teachers ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
Key Competences ◽  
Didactic Skills ◽  
The University

The aim of this paper is to analyse how French teachers evaluate the didactic skills of students of the Institute of Romance Studies after their three-week teaching practice in a Polish middle or high school. We will be interested primarily in the descriptive evaluation written by the supervising school teachers, which affords an overview of the key competences of foreign language teachers in their own opinion (i.e. their personal theory of teaching) as well as of the terminology used to describe them and reflecting modern or more traditional conceptions of teaching. Our analysis will be carried out with reference to the competences highlighted in a self-evaluation tool, the European Portfolio for Students Teachers of Languages. Conclusions are drawn regarding not only the need to strengthen cooperation between the university and the school teachers to instil a reflective attitude, but also to strengthen the correlation between the tutors’ evaluation and the self-evaluation of thetrainees – not only to develop their autonomy, but also for formative assessment of both the student and the teacher.

Preservice Student-Teachers’ Perceptions of Themselves as Teachers- Experience from Teaching Practicum

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Fotopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Teaching Activity ◽  
Teaching Practicum ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Third Stage

The importance and significance of the role of pre-service teachers’ education in building up their identity formation is well-recognized. This work investigates one dimension of this complex formation: how pre-service teachers perceive themselves as teachers in a pre-service teacher education compulsory course of teaching practice in Greece. An experience report from a teaching practicum is presented based on a qualitative analysis of anonymous questionnaires (N=144). Our analysis reveals that student-teachers are engaged in a process of transformation which encompasses from the academic preparation to the teaching reality. We identify three interconnected stages in this transformation process: i) first contact (e.g., choice and field of their studies, relation between theory and practice), ii) familiarization (e.g., get in touch with teaching activity, with the space and the operation of kindergarten, collaboration with teachers), and iii) function (e.g., interaction with pupils, acquiring experience, acting as teachers). According to the data analysis, preservice teachers tend to attribute greater importance to specific elements of each stage. More specifically, the choice and field of their studies as well as the teaching activity (planning, implementation and feedback) were underlined as very important elements in the second and third stage respectively, while a great number of preservice students highlighted the interaction with students in the classroom as well as their act and operation as teachers in the third stage. Summing up, our findings indicate that pre-service teachers perceive themselves as teachers through four-correlated to each other in a bidirectional manner- issues: the academic framework, the teaching activity, themselves acting as teachers, and the students. Furthermore, the aforementioned four issues point out that pre-service teachers’ perceptions are not stable but are subjected to a transformative process that take place during their teaching practice. Accordingly, the findings of this study could provide a conceptual framework that incorporates pre-service teachers’ perceptions and examine teachers’ identity formation from this specific perspective of pre-service studies.

Chinese Foreign Language Online Course Design to Improve English Monolingual Teachers' Awareness of ELLs

2018 ◽  
pp. 176-201
Author(s):  
Congcong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
English Language Learners ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Language Teacher ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Monolingual Teachers ◽  
English Monolingual

To improve English monolingual teachers' awareness of obstacles that English language learners (ELL) may encounter at school, in 2012 the author conducted a study to explore preservice teachers' perceptions of learning a foreign language online. No participant had Chinese learning experience and their interest varied. This study suggested that preservice teachers perceived their initial experiences as online language learners increased their linguistic, cultural and technological awareness, which would further benefit them when working with ELLs. However, it was unclear if teachers perceived they could transfer their awareness into teaching practice. Thus, this follow-up study explores in-service teachers' perceptions of linguistic, cultural, and technological awareness transfer in teaching ELLs by asking them to engage and reflect on their experiences with a Chinese language online course. This chapter proposes a model for language teacher linguistic, cultural, and technological awareness development and transfer, as well as discussing issues related to language teacher awareness transfer.

Development or Training

2019 ◽  
pp. 305-319
Author(s):  
Esim Gursoy ◽  
Elif Eken
Keyword(s):  
Student Teachers ◽  
Student Teaching ◽  
Clinical Supervision ◽  
Teacher Candidates ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Teaching Philosophies ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
Cooperative Models

As a testing ground for theory and practice transition, teaching practice is a key element of teacher training process. One way to ensure that teacher candidates are acquiring and practicing critical teaching skills is to provide feedback through reflective practice during the student teaching. However, it should be beyond the helpful prescriptions in order for student teachers to develop their own teaching philosophies. For this reason, this study focuses on the growing trend toward cooperative models of student teaching supervision: the clinical supervision model (CSM). The study reports on the student teachers' perceptions on professional development with regard to the feedback they receive (direct or indirect). Twelve ELT student teachers contributed to the study and the data was collected via an open-ended and a closed-ended questionnaire, researchers' field-notes and video-taped reflection sessions. The data analysis revealed that although having varying degrees of abstraction, most of the student teachers had positive perceptions regarding indirect feedback during CSM.

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