Foreign Language Teacher Education Research Articles

Digital-inclusive Transformation and Teacher Preparedness for Foreign Language Education – A Bilateral German-Norwegian Perspective

Digitalisation and inclusion can be understood as transversal topics in pre- and in-service teachers’ professional development. Both topics have attracted considerable research activity. However, questions of digital-inclusive transformation have only rarely been discussed within the field of foreign language teaching. Researchers in the field state a pressing need to increase digital-inclusive transformation uptake in foreign language teacher education programmes to develop a transformation ‘mindset’ in (educational) stakeholders and (future) teachers. Transformation processes in education, however, interact with preparedness for digitalisation and inclusion among pre- and in-service teachers, since the attitude and the willingness of teachers to adapt to digital reality play a decisive role in improving the quality of (digitally enhanced) teaching and learning. Currently, little is known about the interrelationship between the preparedness to use digital technology for foreign language teaching and learning and the preparedness to include foreign language learners with diverse learning needs (DLN) in the digital-inclusive classroom. To this end, this bilateral cross-country study investigates factors that constitute an attitudinal component of foreign language teachers’ perceived preparedness for using digital technology with learners with diverse learning needs in Germany and Norway. The Teacher of English Preparedness to Diverse Learning Needs in the digital inclusive classroom questionnaire was administered to 221 participants. The results show a fresh perspective on preparedness for digitally enhanced inclusive teaching linked to educational system requirements for foreign language teaching. Importantly, confidence when using digital technology in the inclusive classroom is decisive. For teacher education, it is vital that the attitudinal component of teacher preparedness receives more attention throughout teacher training. It should be related to previous experience of teachers with DT in digital-inclusive environments and be part of a heuristic conceptualisation of teacher preparedness for digitalinclusive contexts.

Exploring Communication Strategies in English Speaking Skills: A Study of Students at the University of Danang-University of Foreign Language Studies, Vietnam

The study focuses on communication strategies, specifically examining how they are perceived and used in English-speaking activities, as well as the impacts of verbal communications strategies (VCSs) on the performances of second-year English students from the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education and the Faculty of English at the University of Danang-University of Foreign Language Studies (hereafter called EFL students for brief) as well as to propose appropriate solutions to assist them to improve their communication skills. Data were collected from 280 questionnaires, and the analysis of the in-depth interviews was conducted with 10 student informants and observations of 40 students in total. The findings show that most students were familiar with the term “communication strategies”, though they did not know exactly what the term referred to. Additionally, EFL second-years employed all twelve studied VCSs at various frequencies. Both positive and negative influences were reported, and judgement about errors from surrounding people was chosen as the biggest obstacle when applying VCSs. Several solutions were discussed in the study to solve these problems.

The Multifaceted Field of Virtual Exchanges in Teacher Education: A Literature Review

Virtual exchanges can be seen as a powerful tool in fostering digital- pedagogical, intercultural, and foreign language competences in teacher education. Since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, virtual exchanges in teacher education have gained increasing attention both in research and practice. Despite a growing number of publications and various fields and themes covered by research and reports, few publications are concerned with connecting and systematising the discourse on virtual exchanges between 2020-2023. This paper, thus, aims to offer a comprehensive overview of how virtual exchanges are employed in teacher education by adopting a scoping study approach and examining research papers published in this period of time. Our findings cover the planning, implementation, and evaluation of virtual exchanges, as well as some overarching recommendations for improving the delivery of virtual exchanges in teacher education as they are provided in the research papers. Virtual exchanges in teacher education are a multifaceted field since it has multiple aims, usages, and impacts, which largely depend on the (mostly voluntary) work of teacher educators, the institutional framework within which the exchanges take place, and student teachers’ motivation to participate. The future of virtual exchanges in teacher education would benefit by opening up beyond foreign language teacher education and combining small-scale with large-scale studies to better inform research and practice.

Developing soft skills in future foreign language teachers through ICT

Rapidly changing job markets require graduates to possess not only technical skills but also strong soft skills. This study investigates the development of soft skills in future foreign language teachers in Ukrainian universities, focusing on the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a tool. Using action research methods and mixed data collection, we explore (1) the current understanding of soft skills among teachers and students, (2) the perceived importance of different soft skills for future language teachers, (3) existing methods and challenges in soft skills development, and (4) the effectiveness of various ICT tools in promoting soft skills growth. The findings will inform the design of a model for integrating ICT into foreign language teacher education to enhance soft skills development, ultimately contributing to preparing graduates for successful careers in a globalised world.

Pedagogical tact in the English language teacher education programme

AbstractThis study fills a major gap in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher education by examining the integration of pedagogical tact (PT) in an EFL teacher education programme in Turkey. Through an in‐depth examination of the programme and semi‐structured interviews, this study investigated to what extent PT, including empathising with and motivating learners, effective classroom management, differentiated instruction and support for meaningful decision‐making, is integrated. The qualitative content analysis of the programme demonstrated that many courses in the EFL teacher education programme are consistent with aspects of PT. However, there were a few areas where the programme could be further enhanced to better include all aspects of PT. This includes offering courses on effective communication and decision‐making. The interviews conducted with 21 pre‐service EFL teachers also revealed that most of them acknowledged that the programme is based on their potential teaching needs and challenges. However, they offered suggestions to improve the programme such as adding more technology courses and practice‐based implementations. Throughout the study, recommendations are provided regarding how EFL teacher education programmes could be developed and implemented with more emphasis on PT. Hence, the study's findings have important implications for teacher education programme developers in Turkey and international contexts.

Integrating positive psychology into an English as a foreign language teacher education program

Positive psychology (PP) is the study of the role of positive emotions in optimizing performance. In response to a dearth of research on harnessing the potential of PP in enriching language teacher education, the present study aimed at integrating PP into an English as a foreign language teacher education program to assess its effects on the development of positivity among teachers and possible improvement in their instructional practice. To that end, first the PERMA-Profiler was administered to 25 teachers, who were about to attend a teacher training course. The results of this phase revealed the need for an intervention to raise three focal participants’ awareness of the tenets of PP since they scored below the mean on the scale. During the second phase, the three focal participants were trained in the principles of PP for six weeks. They were also asked to write reflections about the instruction they received on a weekly basis. Thematic analysis of their reflections indicated that the teachers formed positive emotions, engagement, relationship, meaning, and accomplishment, which resulted in their enhanced instructional practice. Moreover, the participants believed that the intervention helped them actively engage with the main teacher training course. The findings imply that PP has the potential to enrich teacher education programs.

The influence of emotional intelligence awareness on the teaching experiences of university teacher trainees: a quantitative and qualitative analysis

Educating prospective teachers is a complex and interdisciplinary effort, encompassing educational policies, core subject knowledge, and honing essential skills, attitudes, and behaviours necessary for effective classroom teaching. This study focuses on the initial stage of teacher development, exploring how pre-service university students perceive and understand emotional intelligence (EI) and its components, especially as they embark on internships in primary and secondary schools. The emotional dynamics in English language teaching classrooms, involving various emotions among students, teachers, parents, and colleagues are examined. The study underscores the importance of emotional expertise for both students and teachers in facilitating a productive teaching and learning process. A review of relevant literature reveals that while there is extensive research on emotions in teacher training, the emphasis has been primarily on general education, with limited focus on second-language teacher education. EI is seen as a critical factor in teachers' classroom management, pedagogical skills, and overall success within the profession. Additionally, studies on EI within English as a foreign language (EFL) teacher education are relatively scarce but indicate a significant impact on teaching outcomes. This research employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate pre-service teachers' perceptions of EI. Quantitative data was collected through a survey questionnaire measuring participants' agreement with statements related to EI. Qualitative data was obtained through in-depth interviews with selected pre-service teachers. The study involved 32 pre-service university students enrolled in English language teacher education programs about to begin internships at primary and secondary schools in Poland.

Fremdsprachenlehrerausbildung in Zeiten der Coronapandemie: Microteaching im digitalen Format

Microteaching as a specific method in foreign language teacher education in which theoretical knowledge is put into practice, offers prospective teachers systematic, small-step and practice-oriented training of teaching behaviour and teaching skills in the form of classical microteaching (practical exercises in small groups of students), or peer teaching (training in small groups of fellow students). Due to the pandemic-related switch to digital teaching formats in university foreign language teacher training, microteaching also had to be moved from the traditional classroom to the digital space and had to face completely new challenges. The paper aims to explore the method of microteaching from a theoretical and empirical perspective and to demonstrate its possibilities and limitations in the digital format, using the example of a microteaching course with students at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Results of a survey among future teachers of German as a foreign language on the effectiveness of microteaching in the digital format in the times of the coronavirus pandemic will be presented.

Climate change awareness in ELT: Ethnography in connected learning and ecojustice pedagogy

This research article explores the integration of climate change education in the context of English as a Foreign Language teacher education. As climate–induced disasters are on the rise, the mitigation of climate change necessitates an interdisciplinary approach to climate education. While science education has extensively addressed climate change education, the field of language education and literacy has not taken drastic measures to participate in climate change education. The article heeds the call for more research on climate change education in second/foreign language and literacy programs. Using the connected learning and ecojustice pedagogy, we engaged 20 preservice teachers in exploring climate change issues within a semester-long creative writing course. Analyses of classroom discussions, reflective writing, and picture book projects showed that the preservice teachers’ awareness of climate change issues developed as they delved into the projects that required their understanding of the global climate issues with the local connection. The article concludes by arguing that connected learning and ecojustice pedagogy support the development of climate change awareness while facilitating preservice teachers’ multimodal writing skills. It recommends that language educators engage in interdisciplinary participation to address climate change issues through curricular engagements that support multimodal-based climate literacy learning.

ICT-Aided Education and Professional Development of Foreign Language Teachers

ICT-Aided Education and Professional Development of Foreign Language Teachers

WRITING IN BRAZILIAN LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION: POSSIBLE ADVANCES IN FUTURE TEACHERS’ LANGUAGE CAPACITIES

This research is related to foreign Language Teacher Education based on the study of genres. It aims at investigating the types of correction used by the teacher-researcher and their role in the development of future teachers’ language capacities through writing taken as social action. It is grounded on Socio-discursive Interactionism and the procedure of didactic sequence. The data collecting was constituted by three versions of a Comment written by a future teacher in the English Language III course, during the implementation of a Didactic Sequence and the teacher-researcher’s correction types on their texts. The data analysis techniques were based on the identification of the correction types and the language capacities. Considering the three steps of writing in the didactic sequence implemented: i. initial production; ii. revising and rewriting; iii. final production and the correction types identified; this investigation presents an alternative to provide future teachers with a unique experience that can contribute to the process of English learning as well as to the student’s language capacities development.

Hopeless Cases or Just Hard Nuts to Crack? Stories of “Difficult” Foreign Language Learners

In accordance with the assumptions of the sociologically grounded labelling theory, an individual’s self-perception and, consequently, their actions, might be influenced by words used to describe them. Also, in the context of education, including the field of foreign language learning, such a process of defining learners in a simplified way, has been proven to have profound consequences of psychological nature. The main purpose of the article is to outline the results of a study in which 37 teachers of English shared the stories of their most “difficult” students. The qualitative analysis of the gathered descriptions allowed the identification of some common features characteristic of, so-called, hopeless cases, among which motivation-related problems are the most often enumerated ones. Additionally, many teachers wrote about their struggles while teaching students with special educational needs. The views expressed by the participants of the study might help understand the way in which opinions about students are formulated as well as point to the need for significant changes to be made in the area of foreign language teacher education and training.

Puzzle identification in action research in initial teacher education

ABSTRACT The identification of suitable topics in action research can be challenging due to the complex nature of the educational context and the diverse factors that influence problem identification processes. This qualitative multi-case study explores problem identification among pre-service teachers involved in action research (AR). Twenty-nine participants (pre-service teachers, university-based supervisors, and school mentors) from two South American (Colombia and Chile) initial Foreign Language Teacher Education programs were interviewed on problem identification origins and influential factors. The study also used document analysis of program curricula, course programs, syllabi, and standards for the foreign language teaching profession across contexts. Thematic analysis suggests that problem identification has both bottom-up and top-down sources, and it is influenced by the prescriptive and facilitative roles of mentors and supervisors, the pre-service teachers’ research competences, and a series of contextual factors. We discuss the results along with integrated data, point out several critical issues for action research in initial L2 teacher education and introduce a set of considerations to facilitate processes of problem identification.

Obstacles to foreign language teacher educators’ research development: a phenomenological study from China

ABSTARCT This study aimed to examine obstacles to foreign language teacher educators’ research development. Phenomenology was adopted to probe the issue from seven experienced EFL (English as a foreign language) teacher educators’ perspectives, who did not appear to be highly research-productive. Multiple sources of data were employed, including longitudinal participant observations, semi-structured individual interviews and informal conversations. It was found that the participants’ research development had long been constrained by the interplay of personal and contextual factors. Personal factors include their attitudinal resistance, academic weaknesses and work-family tensions. Contextual factors involve the managerialist approach in higher education and limited ongoing academic support at the meso and macro levels. The study suggests that teacher educators’ professional identity reconstruction and professional wellbeing should be a top agenda.

The Curriculum of ELT Education in Indonesian and Vietnamese Universities: A Comparison Study

Both Indonesia and Vietnam provide English as foreign language instruction. In contrast to Indonesia, where English proficiency is low, Vietnam has a moderate level of English proficiency. Although Vietnam has a moderate level of English proficiency, its curriculum is nearly identical to that of Indonesia, making it suitable for comparative research. This research aimed to identify the significant differences between Indonesian and Vietnamese universities’ English language teacher education curricula. This study employed a qualitative methodology to compare the English as a foreign language teacher education curricula in Vietnam and Indonesia. In this study, descriptive analysis was utilized. The English education curricula documents obtained from the university’s website were used for data analysis. The research settings were Universitas Pasifik Morotai in Indonesia and the Giao Su-IESUS Evangelical School of Universal Studies in Vietnam. The finding showed that Vietnamese Universities stressed the dimension of content knowledge, communication competence, contextual knowledge, and professionalism practice theory. However, teaching competence, research knowledge, Community Practice Membership, and general knowledge are often overlooked. Compared to the EFL curriculum in Vietnam, the Indonesian curriculum, particularly at Universitas Paisfik Morotai, emphasized communication skills, content knowledge, research knowledge, and teaching competence/pedagogical aspects

SPEAKING PROBLEMS IN DOING ORAL PRESENTATION AT ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM OF UNIVERSITAS JAMBI

The research was aimed at observing the speaking problems in doing oral presentation in English as a Foreign Language Teacher Education Program at Universitas Jambi. Telephone semi-structured interview was applied in this research to gain the data from nine students of batch 2018 from three classes. The results of this research revealed seven speaking problems found that the students faced in doing an oral presentation. Vocabulary was the most problem the students met, and speaking in gargling was the least problem. The five other issues were getting nervous, pronunciation, grammar, not understanding the material, and not being well-prepared. The students did several things to overcome difficulties: improvisation, asking for help from friends, using Indonesian, and getting the notes. They did various things to overcome those problems depending on the situation while doing an oral presentation.
 
 Keywords: speaking problems, oral presentation, English as a Foreign Language Teacher Education Program.

Perception, Attitude and Practice of English Presentation Skills by Students at the University of Danang-University of Foreign Language Studies, Vietnam

The study aims to find out the perception, attitude, and practice of English presentation skills of first-year English students from the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education and the Faculty of English at The University of Danang-University of Foreign Language Studies (hereafter called EFL students for brief) as well as to propose appropriate solutions to assist them. Data were collected from 200 questionnaires, and the analysis of the in-depth interviews was conducted with 10 student informants and observations of 30 students in total. The findings showed that most students were familiar with English presentation skills. Also, they were aware of the importance of presentation skills and agreed on the necessity for a successful presentation. Knowledge was what caused participants the most difficulties during the preparation stage, and when presenting, students struggled the most not to replicate the textbook word-by-word. To solve these problems, several solutions were discussed in the study.

Exploring Turkish EFL pre-service teachers’ perceptions of critical thinking and reading

The process of critical thinking (CT) plays an important role in enhancing English language proficiency levels of learners, especially the reading and writing proficiency levels. Since there are not many studies focusing on the relationship between CT and critical reading (CR), the current study intended to measure Turkish EFL pre-service teachers’ CT disposition levels and CR self-efficacy levels together. 118 students studying at the department of English Language Teaching at a state university participated in the study. 36 of them participated in the semi-structured interviews. The quantitative data were analyzed via descriptive and inferential statistics. The qualitative data were analyzed through inductive content analysis. Findings of the study demonstrated that the students’ CT disposition and CR self-efficacy levels were found to be at moderate level. Results of the relationship between CT disposition levels and CR self-efficacy levels revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between them. As for the results of the semi-structured interviews, the students were aware of the concept “critical”; however, their CT and reading skills needed to be developed. Results of the study overall indicated that more importance should be given to CT and reading skills in the field of foreign language teacher education.

Seeing teacher identity through teachers’ beliefs: Narratives of pre-service EFL teachers in China

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.

Culture-Related Issues in Teacher Education Programs: The Last Decade in Colombia

This paper showcases a literature review in 13 Colombian refereed journals, covering the last decade, from 2011 to 2021. Data were collected from the virtual platforms where each journal hosts published issues. A thematic analysis was conducted with the sample of papers. The purpose of the review was twofold. On the one hand, it aimed at establishing the main research concerns of Colombian scholars regarding the place of culture in the context of Foreign Language Teacher Education programs. On the other hand, the review aimed at exploring the implications for curriculum design in Colombia that can be drawn from culture-related literature produced by scholars in the last decade. Results suggest that the treatment of culture-related issues in Foreign Language Teacher Education programs has gained currency, although scholarship in the last decade has mainly focused on a diagnostic stage.