scholarly journals Distance Teaching Practicum: Its Impact on Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Preparedness for Teaching

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-125
Author(s):  
Gülten Koşar

Teaching practicum performs a crucial role in initial English language teacher preparation programs in that it offers pre-service English-as-a-foreign-language teachers a great chance to put the pedagogical content knowledge they have acquired through the coursework into practice by teaching real students. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, pre-service English-as-a-foreign-language teachers in the context of the present study, had to do more than half of their teaching practicums via distance education. This qualitative case study explores 25 pre-service English-as-a-foreign-language teachers’ conceptions of the influence of distance teaching practicum on their preparedness for the first year of teaching. The data collected by emailed questionnaires were analysed adopting inductive content analysis. The results indicated they did not believe distance teaching practicum was effective in enhancing their professional learning and preparing them for the first year of teaching. In addition, they did not think teaching practicum conducted face-to-face could be replaced by distance teaching practicum.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-446
Author(s):  
Bushra Saadoon Al - Noori

Baghdad University is located in Baghdad; the Capital of Iraq, consists of many colleges via Sciences and Humanities , for example: College of languages, College of Arts, College of Education for Women and College of Education /Ibn Rushd and others. Each one of these Colleges consists of various departments. Our department is the English Department for four academic years. In the First year, we have four sections of more than fifty students each. Our students are boys and girls and all of them are going to be English Language Teachers because all these four academic years will make them qualified to be so. The government helps them to find jobs immediately after graduation. In these four years, our students spend 45 days in schools as a student - teacher and the staff members are visiting those two or three times to evaluate them in relation to the method of teaching and daily plan. Staff members will evaluate the way of treating the pupils in the secondary school, their way of teaching, their confidence inside the classrooms and many other points.


2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Burns ◽  
Anne Westmacott

One of the current challenges facing many universities is how to support teachers in becoming researchers. This article discusses the experiences at a small private Chilean university of a new action research programme that was developed as a vehicle for helping teachers to become involved in research and write a research publication for peer-reviewed journals. We present findings from research into similar programmes about relevant factors for their success, describe the programme developed at the university with five English as a Foreign Language teachers in 2016, and discuss some reflections on this first year of the programme.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Swanson ◽  
Robin Huff

Foreign language teachers are in critical need in many parts of rural America. Using Bandura's conceptual framework of self-efficacy teaching languages as a theoretical lens, the researchers created a scale to measure foreign language teacher efficacy and administered alongside a well-known efficacy survey to in-service rural teachers (N = 167) in Georgia. Data analysis indicates that the new instrument is psychometrically sound and there are two dimensions to language teacher efficacy: Content Knowledge and Facilitating Instruction. Positive correlations between the two surveys suggest that teaching languages requires more than just strength of content knowledge and FL teachers may need assistance engaging students. Aditionally, it appears female novice Spanish teachers are more prone to attrition than teachers of other languages. The research holds implications for professional development opportunities as well as teacher preparation programs. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 84 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Qiufang Wen ◽  
Hong Zhang

In recent decades there has been increasing interest in identifying the critical features of effective professional learning communities (PLCs). This identification is useful for evaluating the quality of a PLC, but not for building one. This study aims at describing a conceptual model for developing a new PLC, illustrating its application with an example. The model is explained in terms of four constitutive elements (PARTICIPANTS, OBJECTIVES, MEDIATORS, and MECHANISM), and their interactive relations. The development of a PLC of foreign language teachers (PLC-FLTs) at Beijing Foreign Studies University is used to illustrate how the model can function successfully. The illustration is coupled with a discussion of the PLC’s decades of experience in collective leadership, management of the four elements, and tips for tackling various challenges in keeping the PLC going.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Cimermanová

Abstract The study of foreign languages is obligatory for all pupils in Slovakia, where the first foreign language is English. Conforming to integration legislation, pupils with special educational needs (SEN) are taught in mainstream classes. Foreign language teachers, however, lack training and where not prepared how to apply teaching methods and techniques for pupils with SEN in the regular language learning class. In the study presented, 187 elementary school teachers filled out questionnaires dealing with integration of pupils with SEN and possible inclusion of learners with disabilities in Slovakia and a group of 56 university FLT students - teachers-to-be. Teachers are not forced and/or encouraged to take part in in-service courses or other education on how to teach these pupils. The pre-service teachers are offered courses on SEN teaching, however, these are not compulsory and mostly general education oriented. The majority of in-service and pre-service teachers felt that pupils with SEN should be taught in regular education class. The article also describes the current situation concerning integration of students with SEN using the official statistical data.


Author(s):  
Khadija Anasse ◽  
Rajaa Rhandy

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed an abrupt change in our teaching practices. Particularly the online assessment of students’ writing has been an unprecedented, novel situation for many English foreign language teachers. What is novel about this issue is the constraint of adopting it in a critical situation in which it has been an alternative way to assess students in the absence of the physical presence of students. The shift from face to face assessment to online assessment has been a novel experience for many Moroccan English foreign language teachers who have never implemented it before nor have any background knowledge about its mechanisms and methods albeit there are some teachers who are familiar with online teaching and online assessment. The issue has generated important points for English language teaching practitioners and stakeholders about the strategies and challenges of this compulsory mode of assessment during COVID-19 lockdown. From this perspective, the purpose of this paper was to reflect on writing assessment in the era of COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of teachers. The paper aimed to explore the perceptions of Moroccan English foreign language teachers about online writing assessment and the challenges that encountered them.  For this purpose, data were collected from 100 English language teachers in the region of Casablanca through the use of questionnaires. The findings of this study substantiated that most participants considered online assessment of students’ writing a real challenge and hence hold a negative attitude towards it. Based on the results of this study, it was recommended to teach digital writing skills to English foreign language learners and design teaching training programs about online writing assessment. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Nehal Ahmad

<p><em>It has been due on my part to share my own teaching philosophy with my colleagues in the University in general and other language instructors engaged in this noble profession. Needless to say, creating our own teaching philosophy is an innovative practice and it should be a meaningful part of us as second/foreign language teachers since it states our teaching/learning vision and wisdom, observations, experiences, goals, beliefs, level of professionalism and self-development among many other things. However, in real life situation, we do not often implement all our innovative ideas that we possess in our teaching philosophy. The main objective of the present study is to share my decades of experiences as a language instructor as a student of linguistics as well as an English language instructor. </em></p>


Widyaparwa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Bayu Permana Sukma

As one of the ASEAN countries, the Philippines is a strategic target country of Indonesian language internationalization. The internationalization endeavor in the Philippines has begun since 2016 when a number of BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing (‘Indonesian as a Foreign Language)) teachers were assigned to the country. Up to 2018, there have been 14 institutions facilitated with 898 students. This article aims to describe the potential and challenges of the spread of Indonesian language in the Philippines in terms of linguistic and non-linguistic aspects. This research employed a descriptive-qualitative method. The data in this research were obtained from interviews, questionnaires, observations, and literature studies. The results show that Indonesian language has potential to be internationalized and developed in the Philippines. It is based on several aspects: 1) the similarity between Indonesian language and Filipino, 2) the motivation of Indonesian language learners in the Philippines, 3) the good economic cooperation between Indonesia and the Philippines; and 4) the fairly big number of tourism visits from Indonesia to the Philippines and vice versa. However, the potential is also followed by some challenges. Some of them are 1) language policy in the Philippines, 2) the very strong influence of English language in the Philippines, and 3) the lack of Filipinos’ knowledge on Indonesian society, cultures, and politics. ABSTRAKSebagai salah satu negara ASEAN, Filipina merupakan negara sasaran strategis peng-internasionalan bahasa Indonesia. Penyebaran bahasa Indonesia secara formal di negara ini di-mulai sejak tahun 2016 ketika sejumlah tenaga pengajar BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing) dikirim ke negara tersebut. Hingga tahun 2018, tercatat sudah 14 lembaga yang terfasilitasi dengan 898 pemelajar. Artikel ini bertujuan untuk memaparkan potensi dan tantangan pe-nyebaran bahasa Indonesia di Filipina ditinjau dari aspek kebahasaan dan nonkebahasaan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif. Data dalam penelitian ini diperoleh dari hasil wawancara, kuesioner, observasi, dan studi pustaka. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bahasa Indonesia memiliki potensi untuk terus disebarkan dan dikembangkan di Filipina. Hal ini didasarkan pada beberapa hal: 1) kemiripan antara bahasa Indonesia dan bahasa Filipino, 2) motivasi pemelajar bahasa Indonesia di Filipina yang besar, 3) kerja sama ekonomi yang baik antara Indonesia dan Filipina, dan 4) jumlah kunjungan pariwisata yang cukup besar dari Indonesia ke Filipina dan sebaliknya. Namun demikian potensi tersebut juga disertai dengan tan-tangan. Beberapa tantangan yang ditemui adalah 1) kebijakan bahasa di Filipina, 2) kuatnya pengaruh bahasa Inggris di Filipina, dan 3) pengetahuan masyarakat Filipina yang masih minim tentang Indonesia, khususnya di bidang sosial, budaya, dan politik. 


Author(s):  
Carlos Eduardo De Araujo Placido

O acesso ao texto literário é um direito de todos (CANDIDO, 1995). Entretanto, há ainda pouco uso do texto literário para o ensino e aprendizagem de línguas estrangeiras, tanto no Ensino Médio quanto em escolas de idiomas no Brasil. Por isso, o objetivo principal deste artigo é o de investigar a aplicabilidade do uso de textos literários em aulas de língua estrangeira, mormente em língua inglesa por meio de técnicas de Escrita Criativa (MANCELLOS, 2000; MURRAY, 2003; POPE, 2005) com base direta na teoria do ensino desenvolvimental de Davydov (1988). A primeira parte deste artigo esboça rapidamente a pedagogia de Davydov (1988) e sua importância para o ensino de língua estrangeira nos dias atuais. Já a segunda parte foca na relevante contribuição da teoria do ensino desenvolvimental davydoviana e suas seis principais ações que podem ser usadas no ensino de língua estrangeira. A terceira e última parte traz exemplificações tanto de teoria de Davydov (1988) quanto indicações de websites os quais podem ser utilizados pelo professor de língua estrangeira dentro (e fora) da sala de aula.Abstract: The access to the literary text is a right of every human being (CANDIDO, 1995). However, there is still little use of literary texts for teaching and learning foreign languages, both at high schools and at language schools in Brazil. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to investigate the applicability of using literary texts in foreign language classes, especially in the English language ones through Creative Writing techniques (MANCELLOS, 2000; MURRAY, 2003; POPE, 2005) based directly on the theory of developmental teaching by Davydov (1988). Thus, the first part of this article briefly outlines the pedagogy of Davydov (1988) and its importance to foreign language teaching today. The second part focuses on the relevant contribution of the Davydovian theory for education as well as its six key actions that may be used for teaching foreign languages. The third and final part brings exemplifications of both Davydovian theory (1988), through a ciberliteray short story, and indications of websites, which may be used by foreign language teachers inside (and outside) the classroom.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-97
Author(s):  
Olesia Sadovets

Abstract Research conducted by the British Council concerning modern continuous professional development of teachers has been analyzed. The issue concerning foreign language teachers’ professional development has been considered. Productive approach to this process that gives a teacher the opportunities to define aspects of their professional activities that are in need of improvement and introduce appropriate strategies of their own professional development has been characterized. Direct connection between continuous teachers’ professional development and the level of students’ academic achievements has been stressed. Key characteristics of effective professional development have been defined, namely: being correspondent to actual needs of teachers and students; teachers’ involvement into the decision making concerning the content and the fulfillment of professional development; provision of cooperation and teachers’ experience exchange; collegiality presupposing common work of teachers and educational establishments in general; practicality, that is the fulfillment of professional development directly in the process of teachers’ work in class; obligatory character of professional development as indispensable part of teachers’ work; constant reflection and research; prioritizing academic achievements of students as the main stimulus for professional learning of teachers; continuity of professional development and its consideration not as separate forms of work. Modern widely used forms of teacher professional development have been analyzed, namely: self-education, common lessons planning with their further analysis; professional discussions concerning new teaching techniques and the appropriateness of their application; reflexive groups for teaching experience exchange and lessons analysis (video recording of lessons or students’ works), observation/attending teachers’ lessons with their further discussion in constructive form and without formal evaluation; participation in professional learning communities to solve urgent issues concerning school work and teachers’ professional activities; common work of teachers with curricula for detailed studying of problematic issues and their elimination; common teachers’ elaboration of learning materials for definite groups of students; participation in mentoring programs; work in online educational communities It has been proved that modern professional development of foreign language teachers shifts its focus from the competency of a teacher to the level of students’ academic achievements which is the direct indicator of a teacher’s competency.


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