Revisiting Microteaching in Search of Up-to-Date Solutions to Old Problems

In second language teacher education programs microteaching has always been a significant technique to help bridge theory to practice and prepare the trainees for real classroom contexts. The expected benefits from 10 to 15 minute-microteaching sessions are the communication among the trainees and supervisor, collaboration with each other, and reflection on the teaching. However, due to some constraints such as limited time and big class size, these benefits may not be derived easily. Therefore, this study aims to explore how the effect of a designed Internet-based instructional learning environment (hereafter iBILE) was perceived by the participating preservice teachers on developing their communication, collaboration and reflection in microteaching process. In so doing, 52 Kurdish preservice English language teachers were asked to use the iBILE for 6 weeks. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from questionnaires, the system analytics, reflection journals, and semi-structured interviews. The results of the data analysis revealed that the designed iBILE has been perceived highly effective in solving the defined microteaching problems by creating unique opportunities for communication, collaboration, and reflection in microteaching process among the preservice teachers.

Pre-service teacher education: Observing senior teachers through the theoretical lens of Ellis’s principles of instructed language learning

EN The study is based on a training project completed in Italy as part of a qualifying course for high school teachers of L2 English. The project moves around the framework that Rod Ellis proposed in 2010 on the relationship between Second Language Acquisition and Language Pedagogy and it argues the need for student teachers (STs) to take the role of classroom researchers during their learning process and carry out critical observations through a solid theoretical lens, such as the 10 principles for instructed language learning by Ellis (2005a, 2005b). Three case studies are analyzed to explore how STs observed classroom activities armed with the knowledge of the principles. Data is based on feedback they gave during seminar discussions and remarks made in written reports. Moreover, a follow-up survey of informants after five years’ in-service practice questions whether and how this experience influenced the quality and degree of their understanding of teaching and learning. Considering these results, suggestions are made for future implementations of this kind of project. Key words: INSTRUCTED LANGUAGE LEARNING, SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION, LANGUAGE PEDAGOGY, COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH, ITALIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL, ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) ES El estudio se basa en un proyecto de capacitación realizado en Italia como parte de un curso de cualificación para profesores de inglés como L2 de nivel secundario. El proyecto se basó en el marco que Rod Ellis propuso en 2010 sobre la relación entre la adquisición de segundas lenguas y la pedagogía lingüística. Este estudio sostiene que los estudiantes necesitan recibir una lente teórica sólida para la observación crítica, como los 10 principios para el aprendizaje de idiomas instruido de Ellis (2005a, b), y asumir el papel de investigadores dentro del aula durante su proceso de aprendizaje. La análisis de tres estudios de caso explora cómo los estudiantes observaron las actividades del aula armados con el conocimiento de los principios. Los datos se basan en los comentarios que dieron durante los debates del seminario y en las observaciones realizadas en los informes escritos. Además, una encuesta de seguimiento de los informantes después de cinco años de docencia en servicio cuestiona si esta experiencia influyó, y de qué manera, en la calidad y el grado de su comprensión de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje. Teniendo en cuenta estos resultados, se hacen sugerencias para futuras implementaciones de este tipo de proyectos. Palabras clave: APRENDIZAJE DE IDIOMAS INSTRUIDO, CAPACITACIÓN DE PROFESORES DE SEGUNDA LENGUA, PEDAGOGÍA DEL LENGUAJE, ENFOQUE COMUNICATIVO, ESCUELA SECUNDARIA ITALIANA, INGLÉS COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA IT Lo studio si basa su un progetto di tirocinio inserito in un corso di abilitazione per docenti d’inglese nella scuola superiore (TFA). Il progetto si ispira al quadro teorico proposto da Rod Ellis nel 2010 sul legame tra acquisizione della seconda lingua e didattica delle lingue e si basa sull’idea che i tirocinanti debbano effettuare le osservazioni in classe vestendo i panni di ricercatori, con una lente teorica solida come i 10 principi per l’insegnamento delle lingue di Ellis (2005a, b). L’analisi esplora il processo di formazione dei tirocinanti in tre casi studio e le modalità in cui essi si sono mossi nell’osservazione delle lezioni di lingua, armati della conoscenza dei principi di Ellis. I dati includono le riflessioni dei tirocinanti durante le discussioni seminariali e nelle loro relazioni di fine percorso. Inoltre, dopo cinque anni d’insegnamento di ruolo, quegli stessi tirocinanti sono stati intervistati per ricevere informazioni su se e come questa esperienza abbia influenzato la qualità e il livello della loro consapevolezza dei processi di insegnamento e apprendimento. Sulla base dei risultati, vengono avanzate alcune proposte per lo sviluppo di questo tipo di progetti. Parole chiave: APPRENDIMENTO DELLA LINGUA, FORMAZIONE PER DOCENTI DI LINGUA, DIDATTICA, APPROCCIO COMUNICATIVO, SCUOLA SECONDARIA ITALIANA, INGLESE COME LINGUA STRANIERA