scholarly journals The Connotations of Language Teacher Autonomy

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 134
Author(s):  
Ligang Han

With the research on the development of learner autonomy in foreign language education, teacher autonomy has become a hot topic in the research of foreign language teacher education. However, it is the most difficult question to define language teacher autonomy and any answer to it is likely to be subjective. On the basis of expounding upon the different definitions concerning the research on teacher autonomy in language teaching and learning, the focus of the present paper is to clarify the connotations of language teacher autonomy and a working definition is made.

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45
Author(s):  
Gizem Arslan

English language is now the most commonly used lingua franca all over the world and has become an international language. Consequently, learning English is an important objective in the education system in every country as well as the EU member countries. This status of English language results in some fundamental changes in the foreign language education and foreign language teacher education policies of almost every country globally. This paper addresses the question whether the European Profile for language teacher education affects the foreign language teacher education policies and reforms in Turkey. The study also focuses on the general European profile for foreign language teacher education on Turkey contexts as well as the influence of the European profile for language teacher education on the foreign language teacher education reforms in Turkey. Keywords: English language, foreign language education, language teacher education profile in Europe, language teacher education reform in Turkey


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
Kamile Hamiloğlu

In English (as a foreign) language teacher education, there have been numerous theories which have been applied, adapted, and reconstructed based on the needs and conditions of the learners and teachers from very early times so far, that is, from the appearance of Behaviourism in foreign language education in the 1940s to the present time. There have always been many transitions and shifts among and within these theories explaining the practices in English (as foreign language) classes. This paper examines how these theories and transitions can be considered from the lens of Critical Pedagogy and it interrogates whether the recognition of the Critical Pedagogy may help foreign language teacher education turn to be transformative and whether it may contribute to the development of the conditions for a better world within and outside the school with the help of teachers trained to be critical. The theoretical framework of this chapter is built on the socio-cultural view, socio-cognitive view, transformative view and Critical Pedagogy in foreign language education. However, earlier theories such as the Behaviouristic Approach, the Cognitive Approach, and the Communicative Approach are visited as background knowledge. Given that the socio-cultural approach portrays human learning as a social process and the origination of human intelligence in society or culture referring to the fact that social interaction plays a basic role in the development of cognition, the socio-cognitive view deals with how language is learned and should be treated; and transformative learning gives way to actual behaviour that learners should establish to contribute to and participate in the community where they live in; these theories in the framework shed light on developing understandings of the recognition of Critical Pedagogy in the foreign language teacher education. Regarding this overview, it is seen that socio-cultural and socio-cognitive transformation could be led by critical pedagogy, in schools initially, then in the whole society, addressing radical concerns and the abuses of power in intercultural contexts in the acquisition of foreign languages and in their circulation by the help of critically trained foreign language teachers.


Author(s):  
Marianna Levrints (Lőrincz)

Although research has been shown to expedite the professional growth and development of prospective specialists, less is known about the effective world practices in undergraduate and graduate research that could be applied in Ukrainian language teacher education. The present article explores the characteristics of student resear ch in US foreign language teacher education. The study focused on the analysis of academic literature, normative resources and the practical experience of language teacher preparation with the aim of extrapolating good practices into the Ukrainian system of language teacher education. It was shown that student research integrates didactic approaches with elements of creative activity, individual research projects, culminating projects, the study of specialised disciplines, individual and group scientific inquiry, not included in the curricula of educational programmes. The organisational forms of the latter are research symposia, seminars, workshops, conferences, preparation of scientific publications and some others. Among the central tasks of undergraduate and graduate research is the preparation of highly qualified, autonomous specialists, who are capable of accumulating and generating scientific knowledge, skillful application of professional knowledge in approaching the task of teaching; familiarising students with the methodology for organising and conducting research in the field of foreign language education; increasing motivation for scientific inquiry and professional development, intensification of learning; promotion of critical and reflective thinking, professional self-identification and self-realisation; stimulating the need for continuous self-development; implementation of individualisation and differentiation principles in language teacher education; replenishment of the cohort of scientific and pedagogical staff. The research competence is developed through diverse didactic forms and approaches; it is characterised mainly by electiveness at the undergraduate level and is a mandatory component of the graduate programmes’ curricula in foreign language teacher education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
Ana Cecilia Villarreal Ballesteros ◽  
Irlanda Olave Moreno ◽  
Lizette Drusila Flores Delgado

One of the main goals of language teacher education programs is to prepare professionals who can respond to the growing demands of society for quality instruction.  However, we often find that training in current theories and methods has limited impact on pre-service teachers’ long established beliefs and ultimately on their practice. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative study is to explore the conceptual metaphors (Lakoff and Johnson, 2008) used by pre-service teachers when writing their teaching philosophy as a way of unveiling their underlying cognitive mappings. We propose that making future teachers aware of the entrenched metaphors they use to talk about teaching and learning might be a first step in changing their observable behavior. The results of this study show that in spite of exposure to current theories on teaching and learning, pre-service teachers tend to keep outdated theories. This work in conjunction with other strategies will help teacher trainers to foster integration of current ideas about teaching and learning in their students and to recognize their role in improving language education.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Hakki Mirici ◽  

The European Commission has developed several standard documents for foreign language education including teacher education and opened access for the common use of all European counterparts. This study is based on a PhD course aiming at increasing awareness of and fostering deep research about foreign language teacher education policy in Europe. The study aimed to scrutinize the opinions of the PhD students in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT) about the European foreign language teacher education policy. In the study, the case study research design was adopted, utilizing qualitative data. The participants of the study were selected via total count sampling model and covered all of the PhD students (N = 9) taking the course entitled “Foreign Language Teacher Education Policy in Europe” with the code: IDO710 within the ELT program of the Hacettepe University Graduate School of Educational Sciences in the Fall Semester of 2020–2021 academic year. The data were collected via students’ self-reflection reports after the course had been completed and were analysed using content analysis as one of the qualitative data analysis methods. The results showed that at the end of the course the participant students’ awareness was highly increased about the European foreign language teacher education policy and related documents; they decided to make use of these documents in their own contexts; they had a deeper understanding of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher education; and they became determined to carry out further research on the effectiveness of the European documents on EFL teacher education in Turkey.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
Ligang Han

With the research on fostering and cultivating learner autonomy in foreign/second language teaching and learning, teacher autonomy has gained momentum in the research of foreign language teacher education. There have been many theoretical research and discussions about the definitions of learner autonomy. Many researchers acknowledge that language teachers play important roles in developing learner autonomy. However, the relationship between teacher autonomy and learner autonomy needs to be explored. The focal point of the present paper is a tentative discussion on the relationship between teacher autonomy and learner autonomy in foreign language education and teacher education. This paper sheds light to foreign language education and teacher education in that language teachers should change their traditional roles to ones catering and facilitating the development of learner autonomy, and teacher education and training programs should include and design courses, practicum to enhance and promote teacher-learner autonomy.


Author(s):  
Liudmila Konyakhina ◽  
◽  
Lora Yakovleva ◽  

The article discusses a number of issues related to developing the linguistic persona and intercultural competency and focuses on educational ideas, strategies, technologies, and practices that embody intercultural approaches to foreign language education. To ensure the high quality of foreign language education, our priorities must include the development of competences in the area of professional communication in foreign languages. In that regard, the article identifies pedagogical conditions conducive to fostering the socio-cultural competence and the successful development of the learner’s linguistic persona. The authors present mechanisms of implementing the said pedagogical conditions in the following areas: a) developing communication skills and competencies of foreign language instructors; b) modeling situations with communication barriers in diverse ethnocultural environments; c) acquiring and selecting ethnocultural information; d) integrating in-class and out-of-class activities in a foreign language; and e) establishing a good rapport between an instructor and her students. The authors go on to describe the methodological basis for designing the content of foreign language programs, identify optimal approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages, and reflect on the context of the intercultural paradigm in university-level foreign language education.


Author(s):  
Sarka Hubackova

Foreign language knowledge is a basis of understanding other cultures, different ways of life and of intercultural communication. What is more, foreign languages offer an advantage when it comes to getting job, they facilitate travelling; they open the possibilities to study abroad. The European Union encourages and supports foreign language teaching and learning.  European Union documents are made available multilingully, so that they becme pervious to all citizens of member countries. Foreign language education has a long- tradition in the Czech school system. At its disposal, it has l sophisticated methods. They are continuously modernized and harmonized in accordance with recommendations, documents and projects concerning the language policy of European Council and Commission. The academic community gets the familiarization with them by means of national and international activities.       Keywords: Blended learning; Foreign language; Language education; German language 


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