Challenges and Adjustments in Undertaking Teaching Practice Across Countries in Disruptive Era of Education

Abstract

Abstract: This article disseminates a small part of the result of a research project in relation to teaching practice across countries. Specifically, it investigated the challenges & adjustments of EFL pre-service teachers’ experience in undertaking international teaching practice. The empirical research has been conducted in an interpretive qualitative paradigm underpinned by a complexity theory conceptual framework. Convenience sampling has been used in this study. This study employed interviews and questionnaires to collect the data. Pre-service teachers’ perspectives offered further depth of understanding and highlighted unforeseen difficulties during international internship. The findings of the study revealed challenges faced by pre-service teachers that ranged from designing - Lesson plans, preparing teaching media, and learning material, managing teaching time allocation, adjusting a new environment and culture, adjusting a new education system, adjusting high demand of teaching material (level of complexity, understanding the new country context) and facing students’ criticality. From this study, some meaningful insights are presented that can further provide the discussion of professional practice in the context of teacher preparation, not only nationally but also globally. Field based learning and teaching experience across countries are important components in constructing distinctive English teacher identities and achieving international recognition. 
 
 Keywords: Adjustment, Education Disruptive Era, Flexibility, Lesson Plan, Internship, Pre-Service Teachers, Teaching Practice