Abstract
Language teacher education should provide student teachers with pedagogical content knowledge which is the knowledge that separates a teacher from a mere major of English. PCK means a student teacher will have knowledge of the content, the pedagogy as well as the context in which this will be used. This means the process of one acquiring PCK ensures that there is a link between theory and practice. This study therefore aimed at analysing the Bachelor of Education (Language) programme at Mzuzu University in order to understand how theory and practice are integrated. The data was generated through document analysis. The study has revealed that the programme has made an effort to integrate theory with practice through the kind of courses that are offered to the students. The English teaching methodology courses provide a platform in which the content is integrated into the practice. In addition, the theoretical knowledge gained in the lecture rooms is actualised through teaching practice.
Highlights
Mzuzu University is an institution of higher learning situated in the Northern Region of Malawi
Language teacher education should provide student teachers with pedagogical content knowledge which is the knowledge that separates a teacher from a mere major of English
The provision of linguistic courses in the programmes agrees with Wright (2002), Attardo and Brown (2005), Bartels (2005) and Andrews (2007) who agree on the importance of linguistics in a language teacher education programme
Summary
Mzuzu University is an institution of higher learning situated in the Northern Region of Malawi. The content of the subject matter is in two, literature and linguistics The courses in both pure and applied linguistics give students a chance to understand the structure and use of language which might make it easier to teach English in secondary schools. Shulman, 1986, 1987; Cochran, King, and DeRuiter (1993); Lowernberg-Ball, Thames and Phelps (2008); Van Driel and Berry (2010) and Konig et al, 2016 agree that a teacher needs to have pedagogical content knowledge and this knowledge will include understanding of the school context as well as the nature of students they teach that is apart from knowledge of the content and the pedagogy This is the kind of knowledge that Education foundation courses offer to the students
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