TO ACCEPT, OR NOT TO ACCEPT: PREREQUISITES TO ENSURE QUALITY TEACHER TRAINING

The research focuses on the problem of acceptability of applicants with the minimal level of the Unified State Exam (the USE) to teacher training programs, and coinage of language teachers with under-developed language competency, the latter being fated to turn insufficient for preparing school students for the USE. In the article the author answers the following two research questions: what level of language competency should be demonstrated by a teacher who works in a Russian regular secondary school; what the initial level of language mastery of applicants of teacher training programmes, measured with the USE and demonstrated with its results, would be adequate for them to be academically and linguistically agile for passing the exam which is known as the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE). The methods of the research included the content analysis of official documents regulating the requirements towards teacher competency and examination procedures and assessment; longitudinal observations on language competency development (330 students were observed throughout six years); comparative analysis of examination results. The outcomes of this research may be of high value to teacher training institutions in terms of the determination of categories of programme applicants who have stronger or weaker chances to graduate as competent (job market relevant) teachers.

Download Full-text

Language Students' Training as Future Teachers

Handbook of Research on Educator Preparation and Professional Learning - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-8583-1.ch010 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 169-187

Author(s):

Diana Presadă ◽

Mihaela Badea

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Teacher Training ◽

Educational Reform ◽

Education System ◽

Training Programs ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Content Structure ◽

Educational Aims ◽

Higher Education System ◽

Teacher Training Programs

The purpose of the chapter is to show to what extent university-based teacher training programs reflect the new educational standards required by the reform applied to the Romanian higher education system. Specifically, it attempts to analyze the relevance of the curriculum that forms the basis of the language teachers' preparation focusing on its content, structure, and educational aims and purposes. It also tries to highlight the degree to which such programs meet not only learners' needs but also the ones of today's society. Last but not least, the study aims to identify what elements resulted from the Romanian educational reform could be useful for the researchers interested in the field of initial language teacher training.

Download Full-text

Evaluation Results of Initial Training Teachers Programs in Mexico Based on the Performance of Their Students

Teacher Training and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-5631-2.ch099 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 2082-2099

Author(s):

Edgar Oliver Cardoso ◽

Jorge Mejía Bricaire ◽

Fernando Briseño Hurtado ◽

Joel García Mendoza

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Research Approach ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Initial Teacher Training ◽

Teacher Training Programs ◽

General Data ◽

Research Competences ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Education In Mexico

The study aimed to evaluate the proficiency levels of students of programmes of initial teacher training in the areas of planning, evaluation, use of ICT, didactics, and research competences in institutions of higher education in Mexico. The research approach used was non-experimental because there was not a deliberate manipulation of the variables. This papers was worked with a cross-sectional design. Initial teacher training programs evaluated based on the results of their students (521 subjects in total). For the collection of data was used a questionnaire to assess competencies and get information that would make the diagnosis of initial teacher training programmes. The instrument responded in a single application and it was composed of two sections: Respondents' general data and professional skills: structured under teaching domains of planning, assessment, management, ICT usage and research. Questions were evaluated using a scale of frequency of five degrees the scale used corresponds to a Likert-type.

Download Full-text

Evaluation Results of Initial Training Teachers Programs in Mexico Based on the Performance of Their Students

Evaluating Teacher Education Programs through Performance-Based Assessments - Advances in Higher Education and Professional Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9929-8.ch019 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 311-327

Author(s):

Edgar Oliver Cardoso ◽

Jorge Mejía Bricaire ◽

Fernando Briseño Hurtado ◽

Joel García Mendoza

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Research Approach ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Initial Teacher Training ◽

Teacher Training Programs ◽

General Data ◽

Research Competences ◽

Cross Sectional Design ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Education In Mexico

Download Full-text

Programming for HIV prevention in Mexican schools

10.31899/hiv2003.1003 ◽

2003 ◽

Keyword(s):

Public Schools ◽

Teacher Training ◽

Hiv Prevention ◽

Sex Education ◽

Sexuality Education ◽

School Students ◽

National Education ◽

School Based ◽

Teacher Training Programs ◽

Mexican Schools

As national education programs incorporate HIV prevention into school curriculums, policymakers and educators need to know what they can expect from these initiatives. Can such courses influence the behavior of students and improve their knowledge and attitudes? If not, what can these courses reasonably be expected to accomplish, and what part can they play in overall HIV programming for youth? To help answer these questions, the Mexican Institute of Family and Population Research (IMIFAP), the Mexican Ministry of Public Education (SEP), and the Horizons Program examined the effects of a school-based HIV-prevention program on Mexican secondary-school students. All public schools in Mexico must implement sexuality education and teacher-training programs, although the content is left to each state’s discretion. Students must pass this class just as they would other courses in the curriculum. With approval from SEP, a leading Mexican NGO (IMIFAP) experienced in designing sex education courses developed the curriculum and the teacher-training program used in this study. The 30-session student curriculum, described in this brief, focuses on a broad range of topics that aim to equip students with information and skills to prevent HIV infection.

Download Full-text

Language education for non-native speaker language teachers

TEANGA, the Journal of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics ◽

10.35903/teanga.v24i0.42 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

pp. 44-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emma Riordan

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Student Teachers ◽

Native Speaker ◽

Language Skills ◽

Language Education ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Target Language ◽

Group I ◽

Language Courses ◽

Training Programmes

For non-native speaker language teachers (NNSLT), that is, teachers who teach a language which is not their own first language, one very important skill is competence in the target language. However, the development and maintenance of language skills are often neglected in language teacher training for language teachers. It is assumed that the trainees have already reached the requisite level of competence prior to entry into teacher training programmes, or that the general language courses available to them are sufficient in addressing these language needs. In this paper I argue for the introduction of a new area of Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) to deal with the language skills needed by this learner group. I examine the literature relating to language for non-native speaker language teachers and review research in the teaching of language to NNSLTs. I describe a language course designed specifically for the education of non-native speaker teachers of English at a German university. Questionnaires, surveys and pre- and post-testing methods were used to evaluate the course. The study’s results suggest that the LSP approach is both feasible and successful in improving student teachers’ language skills for the purposes of teaching.

Download Full-text

Assessment of Life Competencies in Elementary School Students

Psychological Science and Education ◽

10.17759/pse.2019240602 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 16-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E.Yu. Davydova ◽

A.B. Sorokin

Keyword(s):

Elementary School ◽

Elementary School Students ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Competency Development ◽

School Students ◽

Educational Standard ◽

Application Fields ◽

Insight Into ◽

Typical School

The paper describes a method of assessing life competencies in elementary school students The new pragmatic and system-based standards in education dictate the relevance of the development of instruments that assess life competencies.According to the activity-focused educational standard, the competencies are considered as a complex of the child’s regulation abilities, the ability to apply skills under specific conditions, and efficient social interaction.The proposed innovative method of assessing life competencies is based on the following principles: the assessment is carried while observing the child in a typical school situation; there are 5 levels of competency development ranging from the independent application of basic skills in routine situations to internally motivated creative activity; the revealed deficits are categorized according to the areas of mental functioning; multidimensional scaling enables determination of competency levels, their application fields, and deficit areas, providing insight into possible causes of learning disabilities.This method can be used by teachers and in all general and special education populations including children with autism spectrum disorders.The assessment outcomes can be applied in exploring the specifics of life competencies as well as in optimizing the learning and developmental processes within the framework of individual approach.

Download Full-text

Reconsidering Language Assessment Courses in Teacher Training Programs During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Lublin Studies in Modern Languages and Literature ◽

10.17951/lsmll.2021.45.3.45-55 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 45-55

Author(s):

Ferit Kılıçkaya

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Online Teaching ◽

Training Programs ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Language Assessment ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Assessment Literacy ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Face To Face ◽

Teacher Training Programs

Assessing learners’ performance is crucial as it informs about learners’ achievement levels in addition to their strengths and weaknesses, not only in face-to-face but also in online teaching. The study aimed at investigating the challenges faced by language teachers in assessing learners during online teaching and to offer some suggestions regarding language assessment courses in teacher training programs. The study adopted a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. The participants included 22 language teachers whose age was between 24 to 48. Of these teachers, 8 were male, while the rest were female. Their teaching experience varied from 2 to 25 years, with an average of 11.8 years. The data was based on the responses of the participants during semi-structured interviews. The participants were asked to attend ZOOM meetings to be held, considering their availability. The interviews lasted 10 to 25 minutes. The results of the study indicated that the challenges faced by the participants included five major themes: Assessment type, assessment item formats, support, previous training (assessment literacy), and academic integrity. Several suggestions were offered considering online testing and assessment literacy and language assessment courses in teacher training programs.

Download Full-text

ACQUIRING ESP TEACHER COMPETENCE THROUGH THEORY AND PRACTICE

Journal of Social Sciences ◽

10.52326/jss.utm.2021.4(2).03 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol IV (2) ◽

pp. 33-42

Author(s):

Eleonora Olivia Bălănescu ◽

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Research Method ◽

Teaching Practice ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

English For Specific Purposes ◽

Teacher Competence ◽

Private Institutions ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Theoretical Considerations

The emergence of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), which is closely linked to particular professions, requires qualified language teachers. Despite the growing demand for courses in ESP in Romania, and the eagerness of universities and private institutions to include these courses in their curricula, insufficient attention has been given to teaching training in this domain. In the absence of under-graduate ESP teacher training programmes, ESP is taught by General English graduates who basically learn as they go. The aim of this paper is to map the territory, that is, to outline the main coordinates on which a framework of ESP teacher training can be developed in Romania. These coordinates refer to the particularities of teaching ESP and to the subsequent teaching practice. The research method consists in combining theoretical considerations with practical advice and suggestions for pre-service teachers.

Download Full-text

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PRIOR EXPECTATIONS AND THEIR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS DURING PEDAGOGICAL INTERNSHIP IN ZIMBABWE

Problems of Education in the 21st Century ◽

10.33225/pec/20.78.983 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 78 (6) ◽

pp. 983-999

Author(s):

Chipo Makamure

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Student Teachers ◽

Teacher Educators ◽

Academic Research ◽

Teaching Mathematics ◽

School Based ◽

Mathematics Knowledge ◽

Training Institutions ◽

Training Programmes ◽

Depth Interviews

Pedagogical internship (PI) is an important component of teacher training programmes in Zimbabwe. It is envisaged to give student teachers experience in the classroom. However, the variation between the theoretical expectations of pre-service teachers (PST) and their actual experiences in the field has been a relational lacuna in academic research in Zimbabwe. This research sought to address this by presenting data on the relation between college PSTs’ expectations about teaching mathematics and their actual experiences during PI in Zimbabwe. The study shares findings from a mixed methods study that employed two questionnaires completed by 120 PST before and during PI respectively, and a third questionnaire administered to school-based mentors. The researcher also conducted in-depth interviews with a few selected PSTs and teacher educators to elicit their views about the PSTs’ practices. The results show that there is, indeed, a conflictual relationship between the PSTs’ expectations of teaching mathematics and their experiences in the classroom. PSTs showed a consistent anticipation that they would sail through PI without many difficulties, but this expectancy turned out to be idealistic and impractical. The research also established that PSTs’ expectations about teaching mathematics prior to PI can influence their field practices, hence, determining their opportunities to learn to teach the subject. It is recommended that teacher training institutions organize programmes for PSTs before PI to prepare and acquaint them fully with the skills that are needed to face challenges of teaching that may otherwise come as a shock during PI. Keywords: expectations of teaching, field experiences, mathematics knowledge, pedagogical internship (PI), pre-service teachers (PSTs)

Download Full-text

Students of Teacher Training Programs and Their Views on STEM: A Focus Interview

Edukacja Elementarna w Teorii i Praktyce ◽

10.35765/eetp.2021.1661.08 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3(61)) ◽

pp. 115-137

Author(s):

Martyna Szczotka ◽

Katarzyna Szewczuk

Keyword(s):

Teacher Training ◽

Stem Education ◽

Training Programs ◽

Basic Research ◽

Organizational Conditions ◽

Early School ◽

Teacher Training Programs ◽

International Research Project ◽

Selection Of

This paper presents the outcomes of a pilot study conducted with a group of students pursuing teacher training programs as part of the international research project called “Kitchen Lab for Kids” delivered under the “Erasmus+; Key Action 2” scheme. The aim of the research was to find out about students’ opinions on STEM education, including the determination of the level of their knowledge about this trend. In this context, particular attention was paid to issues related to the goals of STEM education, problems and challenges that they may generate, as well as the needs (organizational conditions) necessary to implement this type of activity. The respondents also had the opportunity to present their own experiences in organizing and conducting STEM classes. The research was carried out with the use of the qualitative methods, where the basic research method was focus interview. The research group consisted of 8 students of teaching faculties, mainly pre-school and early school education. The selection of research units was purposeful. The conducted qualitative analysis of the material collected during the focus interview showed that STEM education is still a novelty among students of teaching faculties. Future teachers have little experience in the implementation of activities taking into account the STEM model, but it should be expected that the coming years will result in a number of changes and activities in this area.

Download Full-text