Abstract
Practicing the role of teacher and auditing/observing experienced teachers are essential parts of practicum studies of pre-service teachers. Regarding observation we differentiate between two kinds of practice: descriptive observation and critical observation. In this paper we reported on 38 pre-service teachers’ weekly practicum study observation reports of the classes they taught and audited over a twelve week period during their practicum study. The study examined the level of critical observation in the observation forms of pre-service teachers over twelve weeks’ period. Results showed that pre-service teachers mostly focused on the identification of techniques and strategies their cooperating teachers employed and only rarely were critical regarding the cooperating teachers’ lesson preparation, classroom management, communication with her/his students and his/her using methods and techniques during the classes. This paper discusses the drawbacks of simple, descriptive observation and provides guiding questions to help pre-service teachers conduct critical observations in their practicum study.
Highlights
In Turkey, language teacher education programs are offered by both education faculties and arts and science faculties of universities
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent of critical observation, which can be defined as skilled and active interpretation and evaluations of observations in the observation forms of pre-service teachers
As there are five sections in the observation form, we analyzed the responses in five subheadings titled as Item 1 to Item 5
Summary
In Turkey, language teacher education programs are offered by both education faculties and arts and science faculties of universities. As an obligatory part of the curriculum pre-service teachers attend practicum study for one semester and keep a log in which they write on their observation they conduct during their practicum. The practicum lasts for one semester during which pre-service teachers takes turns to teach their mentor’s students who are seventh or eighth year primary school pupils. Each week for four hours pre-service teachers visit their primary or secondary school and take turns in teaching classes and after auditing the cooperating teacher’s classes fill out observation forms. Preservice teachers register for teaching practicum for a semester. Most of them work in primary or secondary schools and they receive support, on the one hand, from their university counsellor; on the other, from the school cooperating teacher. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent of critical observation, which can be defined as skilled and active interpretation and evaluations of observations in the observation forms of pre-service teachers
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