Assessing the Readiness of Pre-service Teachers to Teach English to ESL Learners in Fijian Secondary Schools

Pre-service teacher professional learning could be affected by a range of factors such as pre-service teachers’ prior schooling experiences and the effectiveness of the courses offered in the pre-service teacher education program. The absence of research in the literature carried out to examine second-year pre-service English teachers’ perceptions concerning their experiences of planning a lesson to teach a speech act and giving a presentation on it encouraged the researchers to conduct this investigation. This qualitative case study investigates 25 sophomore pre-service English teachers’ perceptions with regard to the effect of preparing a lesson plan for the teaching of a speech act they selected and the presentations they made on it in online Pragmatics and Language Teaching course to their professional learning. The data was collected from a qualitative survey and semi-structured telephone interviews. The inductive analysis of the gathered data revealed that the pre-service English teachers contended preparing a lesson plan to teach the speech acts they chose and giving a presentation on it enhanced their professional learning. The findings also indicated the pre-service English teachers’ desire for more hands-on work starting from the first year in the pre-service English teacher education program.

In This Issue

In this study, we examined the effect of School Experience (SE) and Practice Teaching (PT) courses on pre-service chemistry teachers’ beliefs towards chemistry teaching over a one-year period. To reach this purpose, participants’ beliefs and experiences towards chemistry teaching were monitored closely throughout the varied phases of the two practicum courses. Two pre-service chemistry teachers participated in the study. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, observation notes, CoRes and reflection papers. Semi-structured interviews focusing on the pre-service teachers’ beliefs regarding chemistry teaching were conducted three times while participating in the SE and PT courses. During the PT course before their teaching experiences the participants prepared CoRes, and after their experiences they critiqued their own performances. Moreover, the participants were observed during their student-teaching experiences to identify how they transfer their beliefs into their teaching. Data were analyzed via inductive analyses. Results indicated that both pre-service teachers had stable core beliefs derived from their own experiences as students that remained constant during these courses and guided their practical instruction. Although both participants attended the same courses during the teacher education program, their attitudes while taking the educational courses were different. Factors that shaped pre-service teachers’ beliefs towards teaching were presented as the practicum courses enriched with CoRes and reflection papers, observing their mentors, experiences gained from microteaching sessions, and pedagogical and methods courses taken during the pre-service teacher education program. Implications for the formation of pre-service teachers’ beliefs towards teaching throughout pre-service teacher education programs were provided.

The globalization of English has undoubtedly brought shifts into how the English language is taught in classroom settings and how English teachers are prepared. In English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, for example, teaching and learning English is generally influenced by local contexts. Taking into account the sociocultural contexts of the learners and the teachers, identity construction becomes one important aspect in the process of English teaching and learning. Focusing on the microanalysis of social language uses, the study was aimed to understand how pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language in a multilingual setting, Indonesia, enact their identities through their language use in classroom settings. The data for this study was obtained from a classroom observation where an English pre-service teacher was performing peer teaching. The discourse analysis of the first thirteen minutes of a pre-service teacher's teaching demonstration indicates that multiple identities were enacted when the student teacher switched from one language to another. The pervasive use of code-switching in four different languages (Indonesian, English, Arabic, and Malay) provides clues that Mamas, a student teacher's pseudonym in the study was enacting different identities as he taught his peers. While further research is absolutely necessary to obtain more vivid pictures of the reasons behind using multiple languages in teaching English within this context, the study provides insight about how pre-service teachers in an Indonesian context try to develop identities as they learn to teach English.

Purpose Digital multimodal composing (DMC) has received considerable attention in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. While empirical studies on DMC have been widely conducted, there is a scarcity of research specifically examining the experience of pre-service English teachers in employing DMC during their teaching practicum. They might be familiar with DMC concepts, yet their beliefs about implementing DMC-mediated language teaching in classroom settings is worth further investigation. To fill this gap, this study aims to investigate the perspectives of three pre-service English teachers on DMC-mediated language teaching during their teaching practicum program. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a case study design and was conducted in a state Islamic university in East Java Province, Indonesia. A semi-structured interview was conducted with three pre-service English teachers to collect data about the beliefs of pre-service English teachers in implementing DMC in their teaching practicum. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Findings From the analysis, the study unveils three important findings: (1) pre-service teachers' awareness of implementing DMC in English classrooms, (2) pre-service teachers' pedagogical preference for DMC projects and (3) pre-service teachers' perceived challenges in teaching through DMC. Originality/value The study suggests that equipping pre-service teachers with adequate pedagogical competence in DMC will enhance their capacity for technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK).

This study attempted to investigate pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ levels of knowledge in content, pedagogy, and technology in relation to their gender, Internet access at school, and technology training in Saudi Arabia. The Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework was utilized to (1) examine pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ levels of TPACK; (2) investigate the differences between pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ levels of TPACK; (3) scrutinize whether gender, Internet access at school, and technology training had any significant effect on pre-service EFL teachers’ levels of TPACK; and (4) analyze whether gender, Internet access at school, and technology training had any significant effect on in-service EFL teachers’ levels of TPACK. The participants in this study were (111) EFL pre-service teachers and (106) EFL in-service teachers. The descriptive statistical analysis (mean and standard deviation) revealed that the pre-service teachers’ overall level of TPACK was moderate scoring highest in TK, TPK, and TCK and lowest in CK and PK respectively. On the other hand, the in-service teachers’ overall level of TPACK was moderate scoring highest in CK, PK, and PCK and lowest in TK, TPK, and TCK respectively. The inferential statistical analysis (t-test) indicated a statistically significant difference between pre-service and in-service teachers’ levels of TPACK. All the seven sub-domains of TPACK were significant, with pre-service teachers scoring higher in TK, TCK, and TPK while in-service teachers scoring higher in CK, PK, PCK, and TPACK. The inferential analysis also showed that gender, Internet access at school, and technology training had a significant effect on both pre-service and in-service EFL teachers’ levels of TPACK. The study concluded that both pre-service teacher education programs and in-service teacher training courses need to focus on the connections and interactions between content, pedagogy, and technology in order to help EFL teachers integrate technology effectively into their teaching process. The study recommended investigating other factors that might be predictive of teachers’ levels of TPACK.

The globalization of English has undoubtedly brought shifts into how the English language is taught in classroom settings and how English teachers are prepared. In English as a foreign language (EFL) settings, for example, teaching and learning English is generally influenced by local contexts. Taking into account the sociocultural contexts of the learners and the teachers, identity construction becomes one important aspect in the process of English teaching and learning. Focusing on the microanalysis of social language uses, the study was aimed to understand how pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language in a multilingual setting, Indonesia, enact their identities through their language use in classroom settings. The data for this study was obtained from a classroom observation where an English pre-service teacher was performing peer teaching. The discourse analysis of the first thirteen minutes of a pre-service teacher's teaching demonstration indicates that multiple identities were enacted when the student teacher switched from one language to another. The pervasive use of code-switching in four different languages (Indonesian, English, Arabic, and Malay) provides clues that Mamas, a student teacher's pseudonym in the study was enacting different identities as he taught his peers. While further research is absolutely necessary to obtain more vivid pictures of the reasons behind using multiple languages in teaching English within this context, the study provides insight about how pre-service teachers in an Indonesian context try to develop identities as they learn to teach English.

Although studies on the teaching practicum experiences of pre-service English teachers have tried to identify some problems and offer solutions, research addressing the issue from the perspectives of all stakeholders by examining both the expectations of pre-service teachers and the potential problems they face in this process is rather limited. In this regard, as part of a larger project, this session aims to uncover prospective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ expectations and problems during the practicum process based on the opinions of various stakeholders. 160 pre-service teachers studying in the final year of an English language teacher education program, 22 teacher educators, and 39 English teachers supervising those teacher candidates during the practicum process participated in the study. Data came from two sources: reflective reports requested from all participants of the study in the fourth and eighth weeks of the 12-week practicum process and the focus group interviews conducted with five pre-service teachers, five university supervisors, and five cooperating teachers. The analyses documented problems related to pre-service teachers, their teaching skills, classroom management, pupils, teaching procedures, and school context. Maximizing practice opportunities in quantity and quality and higher levels of communication and interaction among the stakeholders were the main suggestions as solutions to problems. These recommendations and some suggestions for future research will potentially increase the quality and effectiveness of the practicum process.

This study aimed to explore the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and digital storytelling in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education among pre-service teachers. Conducted with third-year college students enrolled in a teacher training program, the study focuses on three main objectives: assessing the participants' prior knowledge of AI tools for EFL material creation, examining their attitudes towards the use of AI in language education, and evaluating the impact of collaborative digital storytelling projects on their perspectives towards integrating AI tools in educational settings. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study engaged a convenience sample of 115 pre-service teachers, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research instruments such as a pre-post-test based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and class discussion. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS, while qualitative insights were derived through QDA Miner to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the participants' experiences and viewpoints. The findings reveal a notable gap in the pre-service teachers' prior knowledge of AI tools designed for educational purposes, indicating a limited exposure to or engagement with such technologies in their training. Despite this low level of familiarity, the study uncovers a predominantly positive attitude towards the adoption and integration of AI tools in language education. This positive disposition suggests an openness among future educators to explore and incorporate innovative technologies that can enhance teaching and learning experiences in EFL contexts. The research highlights how the practical experience of creating collaborative digital storytelling narratives using AI tools can positively influence pre-service teachers' attitudes towards technology integration. This shift in perspective underscores the potential of hands-on, project-based learning experiences to enrich teacher training programs by fostering a more receptive and adaptive mindset towards the use of emerging technologies in educational settings. The study underscores the importance of integrating AI and digital storytelling into teacher education curricula to better prepare pre-service teachers for the evolving demands of the digital age, advocating for a more informed, and innovative approach to EFL material development and teaching strategies.

During the past thirty years or so, teacher education research has made significant contributions to the exploration of teachers' beliefs, and the relationship between teachers' beliefs and practices, which has produced important findings for both pre-service and in-service teacher education. This article reviews the research on pre-service teachers' beliefs and practices in the filed of teaching English as a foreign language (EFL), extrapolating the complex relationship between EFL teachers' beliefs and practices. It begins with a discussion about the definition of belief, followed by an overview of the research history on teacher beliefs in general. After discussing the basic components of EFL teachers' beliefs, this article summarizes the empirical studies on pre-service teachers' beliefs and practices since 1990s, which reveals the diversity of the studies on EFL pre-service teachers' beliefs. Finally, the article outlines three perspectives from which EFL pre-service teacher education can be informed.

In the field of foreign and second language (L2) teacher education, existing literature has emphasized the importance of examining language teacher identity in uncovering how L2 teachers grow professionally. However, there have been relatively few investigations into emerging pre-service L2 teachers’ language teacher identity at an early stage of professional development. Focusing on a group of pre-service teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in China who were in their first semester of study in English teacher education, the present research was set out to explore these emerging pre-service teachers’ beliefs and how their beliefs connected to teacher identities. Analyses of participants’ survey narratives showed that pre-service EFL teachers highlighted three significant aspects of their English language teacher identities, which were English teachers as ‘instructors’, as ‘individuals’, and as ‘English experts’. Results of three focal pre-service EFL teachers’ interviews provided further evidence to demonstrate how teachers’ beliefs linked to teacher identities. The significance of these findings and directions for future research were discussed. This study concluded with suggestions for supporting emerging pre-service L2 teachers’ professional growth in language teacher education.

Drawing on Vygotskian sociocultural theory, particularly genetic method and activity theory, and using a qualitative case study design, the present study explored the professional experiences of three preservice English as an additional language (EAL) teachers in secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. Specifically, it sought to understand the preservice teachers as learners of EAL teaching, the context of the EAL professional experiences, and the preservice teachers’ activity of learning to teach EAL in relation to personal and contextual factors. The study was conducted at Greystone University and its three partnership secondary schools in Victoria, including Redwood Secondary College, Greenfern Secondary College and Bluerock Grammar School. Research participants included three preservice teachers of the Graduate Diploma of Education program at Greystone, three mentor teachers working at the partnership schools, and two academics working at the university. Data were collected through interviews, stimulated recalls, the preservice teachers’ self-reflections, and analysis of documents, lesson plans, audio-recorded lessons, and teaching materials. Qualitative content analysis was conducted with the support of NVivo10 software. A joint activity system of preservice EAL teaching and mentoring was constructed for each preservice teacher/mentor teacher pair based on the results of qualitative content analysis, and this served as a unit of analysis. The study found that the preservice teachers brought a range of personal factors to the professional experiences and these developed in interaction with various contextual factors inherent in the practicum settings in shaping their professional experiences. Major personal factors included prior beliefs, educational experience, teaching experience, non-native English speaking (NNES) background, professional identity, emotions, and other personal factors. Influential contextual factors included policies, curriculum, rules, tools, division of labour, interactions with mentor teachers, learners, and other community members. Data analysis also shows instances of professional development as a result of the interaction between the persons of the preservice teachers as learners of teaching, the context of learning to teach, and the activity of learning to teach. All the three preservice teachers developed their professional identity as an important part of their professional socialisation process. Each participant also demonstrated areas of developing EAL teaching expertise through appropriation of mediating tools. The findings support the view that contextual and personal factors are crucial for understanding preservice teachers’ professional learning during the school-based professional experience and extend the literature on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) professional experience by providing comprehensive and systematic insights into preservice school-based EAL teaching. Together with theoretical and research contributions, the study has a number of implications for EAL teacher education practices in terms of developing the knowledge base for EAL teaching and an effective model of professional experience for EAL preservice teachers.

This paper explores the practical implementation of retrieval practice techniques for improving English as a Second Language (ESL) vocabulary acquisition. Effective strategies for fostering long-term retention and comprehension of vocabulary are of utmost importance in the field of ESL education. Three key retrieval practice techniques, namely, The Brain Dump, Low-Stakes Quizzes, and Flashcards, were examined, and their advantages, drawbacks, and potential impact on ESL learners were discussed. Additionally, the integration of digital technology with traditional retrieval practice tools is discussed, highlighting the evolving landscape of language learning strategies. This discussion emphasizes the significance of retrieval practice in enhancing ESL vocabulary acquisition, offering educators and learners valuable tools to reinforce memory traces, engage in active recall, and promote metacognition. However, challenges, such as time constraints, test anxiety, and rote memorization, must be carefully considered in their implementation. Overall, this paper provides insights into the practical utilization of retrieval practice techniques, offering educators a nuanced perspective on improving ESL learners' long-term vocabulary retention and comprehension.

Purpose: This research investigated the impact of bilingualism on the acquisition of English as a second language (ESL) among students seeking English proficiency. The primary objectives of the study was to examine the effects of bilingualism on the ESL learning process, identify recurring language transfer patterns resulting from bilingualism in learning ESL and determine effective bilingual strategies for optimizing ESL learning. Methodology: The research questions guiding the study were: How does bilingualism influence the ESL learning process? What language patterns are transferred due to bilingualism in ESL learning? And what bilingual strategies can enhance ESL learning? The study adopted a qualitative approach, utilizing a case study design to investigate the experiences of English proficiency students at Tangaza University. Convenient sampling methods were employed, and data was collected through structured questionnaires and written compositions on the topic How I Spent My Last Holiday. The collected data was analyzed using thematic and content analysis. Findings: The study findings revealed that bilingualism influenced ESL learning in both positive and negative ways, with recurring language transfer patterns at phonological, morphological, syntactic, and grammatical levels. Effective bilingual strategies, such as consistent practice, immersion, and the use of technological tools, were identified as key to enhancing ESL learning outcomes. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was guided by Larry Selinker’s Language transfer theory (1972), which significantly influenced the field of second language acquisition (SLA). The study recommended more effective teaching methodologies, including tailored instructions, structured writing training, and interactive learning activities, to improve learners’ language interaction and usage.

Background : The knowledge that a mathematics teacher should master has taken an increasing interest in recent years. Very few studies focused on comparing didactic-mathematic knowledge of in-service and pre-service teachers aimed at identifying features of the teachers’ didactic-mathematical knowledge on specific topics that can establish a line between pre-service and in-service teachers’ knowledge for teaching. Objective : The research aims to compare derivative knowledge of pre-service and in-service teachers to identify similarities and differences between teachers’ knowledge. Design : This research is a mixed and interpretative study. Settings and Participants : The participants were 22 pre-service teachers, and 11 in-service teachers enrolled in a pre-service teacher education programme and a master’s programme, respectively. Data collection and participants : Data were collected based on a questionnaire designed purposefully for the study. Results : The results show that pre-service teachers lack both epistemic derivative knowledge, while in-service teachers not only have this knowledge but relates it to its use in teaching. Pre-service teachers may not be making sense of the concept of derivative means, much less related to teaching. Conclusions : The insufficiencies found in pre-service teachers’ knowledge justify the pertinence to design specific formative cycles to develop prospective teachers’ epistemic facet of didactic-mathematical knowledge. It is recommended that both in-service and pre-service teachers discuss activities in which they can identify and reflect on possible mistakes and errors made by students. The development of these formative cycles should consider the complexity of the global meaning of the derivative.