Implications For Teacher Education Research Articles

English language teachers’ appropriation of tools in the Singapore classrooms: a socio-cultural analysis

ABSTRACT Teacher education research continues to show a gulf between teaching practices advocated in teacher preparation and practices adopted by beginning teachers in schools. Informed by the sociocultural perspective on teacher learning that foregrounds the social origin of human cognition, this article reports a qualitative study to investigate the sociocultural influences on the teaching of three beginning teachers in Singapore secondary schools. The findings demonstrate the need to take into account the role of larger structures in the talk and actions of teachers in order to understand their classroom practices. The article concludes with a consideration of some implications for teacher education.

Effect of Interaction Intensity on Alignment and EFL Learners’ Oral Production in the Reading-Speaking Integrated Continuation Task

Abstract This study aims to uncover the relationship between interaction and alignment in a reading-speaking integrated continuation task, especially focusing on whether an increase in interaction intensity can lead to stronger alignment and further generate positive effects on L2 learning. To this end, 31 participants were asked to perform reading-speaking integrated continuation tasks under three different conditions featuring low, medium and high interaction intensity respectively. The results showed that 1) alignment existed in the reading-speaking integrated continuation task; 2) increasing interaction intensity generated stronger alignment at both linguistic and situational levels; 3) growing interaction intensity contributed to more coherent and accurate L2 oral production. These findings not only proved the workings of mind-body-world alignment, but also testified that increasing interaction intensity could bring about a stronger alignment effect (Wang, 2010), which then contributed to better L2 oral performance. These findings confirm again the role of interaction in L2 learning and suggest that alignment could possibly be a mediating factor that links interaction and L2 development. Pedagogical implications for teaching and learning L2 speaking are discussed.

How can the Charter for 21st century literacies support technology-mediated teaching and learning?

This work presents a critical review of pedagogical practices regarding the use of technologies. Hence, the practices that can make a positive contribution to children’s literacy learning are identified. The study sets out to explore the pedagogical strategies that can be applied through the use of portable devices and other technologies in teaching and learning. It draws on an empirical study in two classrooms of a Maltese state school that I conducted between February and June 2016. The key findings indicated a number of pedagogical affordances which promoted multiliteracies, engagement with a range of modes and media, and collaboration. However, the study also identified that some areas were less well developed, such as the use of playful pedagogies, innovation and experimentation, and critical thinking. The implications for teacher education in Malta are considered.

Professional development among English language teachers: challenges and recommendations for practice

Professional development of language teachers is one major measure to ensure that teachers remain updated and avoid the risk or leaving the profession. Not all teachers, however, attend professional development (PD) workshops or engage in such activities for the sake of developing professionally. Some teachers attend PD courses on a routine basis with little knowledge of what competencies they are expected to gain as a result, and simply because taking part in such programmes is an institutional requirement. To explore the type of PD activities English teachers in Iran participate in and also to understand the motivations behind their participation, the researchers interviewed 24 English teachers (with the age range of 24–50) working at private language institutes and public high schools. The study found that public school teachers were engaged in very few PD activities, and the type of PD activities private teachers followed ranged from consulting online courses to watching educational videos to reading ELT textbooks. The motivations for taking part in PD activities ranged from ‘having no motivation’ to ‘promoting my English’ to ‘being able to teach at university’. Further results and implications for teacher education in Iran and beyond are discussed in the paper.

The Holistic Analysis of Multicultural Teaching Framework: Capturing Teachers’ Pauses and their Hybrid and Fluid Multicultural Practices

James Banks’s framework for determining the levels of integration of multicultural content in teachers’ pedagogy has long been a tool used by researchers worldwide. This article introduces the Holistic Analysis of Multicultural Teaching Framework that rethinks Banks’s framework to allow research analysis to capture the hybrid and fluid aspects of teachers’ multicultural practices as well as the pauses in their practices over time. Data from a study on U.S. dual language teachers’ classroom implementation of multicultural practices serves to illustrate the utility of the Holistic Analysis framework in analyzing teachers’ multicultural practices. Implications for teacher educators and researchers are discussed.

The Power of Practicum Support: A Quasi-experimental Investigation of Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Science Instruction in A Highly Supported Field Experience

ABSTRACT This study sought to determine the impact of a highly supported field experience (HSFE) by comparing two groups of preservice elementary teachers (PSETs) all taking the same methods course, from the same instructor, within the same program. Each group was required to complete a 10-hour field experience. One group was in a HSFE while the other group was placed in “unsupported” placements. Findings indicate that the HSFE group enacted statistically significant and far more effective science instruction than the unsupported group. Possible reasons for the difference and implications for teacher education are discussed.

Investigating the individual nature of teacher beliefs and practices about self-regulated learning and how this shapes their practices for supporting student learning

ABSTRACT This paper examines the teacher’s role in developing students’ self-regulated learning (SRL) by examining the beliefs and practices of one primary school teacher. The paper then describes how the teacher applied these in her classroom and how students benefitted. Data were collected via interviews, classroom observations, and informal conversations. Findings suggest that although the teacher held positive beliefs that emphasise behavioural, cognitive, and motivated components of SRL, there was less focus on meta-cognition and strategic actions. Nonetheless, classroom observation data revealed that the teacher actively engaged students in meta-cognition and strategic actions. This implies that the teacher had an implicit understanding of her emphasis on these important components of SRL. It also shows that the teacher’s SRL-supportive beliefs and practices were not well-aligned. We believe that a more candid cognisance of meta-cognition and strategic actions may help teachers to directly promote SRL. The study has implications for teacher education and professional development programmes.

Visions of Middle School: How Beginning Teacher Candidates Describe their Early Visions for Teaching

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research was to explore how beginning middle school teacher candidates describe their emerging visions for teaching. This collective case study of one cohort of teacher candidates in a middle grades teacher education program was informed by the literature on vision and by standards for middle level education. Twenty-two candidates (N = 22) enrolled in an introductory teacher education course participated. Data sources included their written vision statements and reflections on their field experience. Teacher candidates prioritized student-centered elements such as providing a developmentally responsive learning environment, creating engaging curriculum, and cultivating professional roles as advocates and collaborators. I discuss implications for teacher education.

Prospective Elementary Teachers’ Pedagogical Knowledge for Mathematical Problem Solving

Research on mathematics teachers’ knowledge has generally focused more on mathematics concepts than mathematical processes. This paper addresses the latter with a focus on mathematical problem solving (PS). It reports on a study that investigated the pedagogical knowledge for PS of prospective elementary school teachers of mathematics (PTs). Participants were 149 PTs at a university in Spain. They were at the end of their teacher education program. Data sources consisted of a questionnaire on knowledge of learning PS and a questionnaire on knowledge of teaching PS. Findings indicated that the PTs held combination of different levels of knowledge of PS learning and teaching. Many of them demonstrated appropriate knowledge of many characteristics for (1) PS learning consisting of student as a problem-solver, PS as a worthwhile task, non-cognitive factor related to PS, and (2) PS teaching consisting of PS teaching approaches, discourse in PS, intervention during stuck state in PS, PS assessment, and PS resources. However, there were also contradictions and limitations to their knowledge with implications for teacher education. These combination of appropriate and inappropriate knowledge resulted in some conflicts that are related to teaching actions and would limit student’ learning of PS.

Anatomizing Students’ Task Engagement in Pair Work in the Language Classroom

Student engagement in the second language classroom has been the focus of numerous researchers and teachers. Previous studies have shown that there are several dimensions of student engagement, but it is still unclear how they change (or not) over time and consequently how they affect actual task performance. This study investigated the task engagement of language learners engaged in collaborative writing in pairs. Specifically, it focused on the combination of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions of task engagement, and examined which combinations resulted in better task performance. Participants were 60 Japanese university students who worked in pairs on a picture description task. Multiple data sources, such as the number of words/turns/language-related episodes, patterns of dyadic interaction, and self-reported questionnaire results, were utilized to investigate the process of students’ task engagement. The results showed: that the 30 participating pairs fell into three groups showing similar combinations of dimensions; that there was a significant difference in actual engagement between the groups and across time; and that such differences had a significant impact on task performance. Based on the results, pedagogical implications for teachers are discussed concerning the use of pair work in the language classroom.

Teacher mindset is associated with development of students' growth mindset

Are teachers' growth mindsets associated with the development of growth mindsets in their students? We know that teacher growth mindset (TGM) shapes the attributions teachers make about their students' abilities and can lead to assumptions about the role that perceived stable traits play in students' performance; however, to date, research has not focused on the relationship between TGM and the development of student growth mindset. This study fills a gap in our knowledge by testing this association over time. Findings from an analytic sample of 57 teachers and 1957 intervention students reveal that teachers with growth mindsets have a mild positive and statistically significant association with the development of their students' growth mindsets, particularly for boys. Implications for teacher education, practice, and future research are discussed.

Peering through a Looking Glass: Deconstructing Teacher Candidate Assumptions Using Dispositions

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how teacher candidates’ responses to a case provided an opportunity to make inferences about their dispositions and thus, build awareness of their assumptions. Fourteen teacher candidates responded to a dilemma-embedded case at the beginning and end of their student teaching semester. Candidate responses were coded using a framework of three disposition domains–intellectual, cultural, and moral. Results suggest that over time, candidates demonstrated greater integration of concepts and refined perspectives, encompassing increased awareness of the sociocultural and moral aspects of teaching while moving beyond technical pedagogical practice. However, candidates did not explicitly identify their assumptions. Implications for teacher education include providing scaffolded opportunities to build self-awareness, like archiving candidates’ thinking when they respond to a case multiple times and combining field experience with cases and opportunities to reflect about cultural worldviews and underlying values.

Factors Influencing Indonesian EFL Learners’ Willingness to Speak English in Classrooms

In the current second language pedagogy, understanding factors that contribute to learners’ willingness to speak English in classrooms is fundamental for teachers. The aims of this present study are (1) to find out the extent to which Indonesian EFL learners are willing to speak English in classrooms and (2) to investigate the factors that influence their willingness to speak English in classrooms. A descriptive quantitative design was employed in this study. This study involved 91 English learners of the University of Bengkulu. An adapted willingness to speak English questionnaire was used to collect the data. The findings indicate that most of the learners are willing to speak English in classrooms. Furthermore, some factors are found to influence the learners’ willingness to speak, including topic familiarity, topic interest, topic preparation, topic comfort, challenging topic, group size, task familiarity, seating arrangement, gender and age of interlocutor, interlocutor familiarity, fear of making mistakes, and fear of evaluation. Therefore, several pedagogical implications for teachers have been suggested in this study.

Onderwyserkennis van assessering - implikasies vir die opleiding van onderwysers

Assesseringsgeletterdheid is 'n belangrike komponent van die professionele voorbereiding van onderwysers. Onderwysers moet hierdie kennis toepas, deel maak van hulle pedagogiese inhoudskennis en deur praktykervaring daarop voortbou. Die navorsingsvraag in hierdie studie word gelei deur die vraag: Wat behels onderwysers se ervaring en kennis van assessering nadat hulle 'n program vir die Nagraadse Onderwyssertifikaat (NOS) aan 'n afstandsonderriginstansie voltooi het? 'n Totaal van 20 diensdoende onderwysers is doelgerig gekies en 14 deelnemers het ingestem om aan die studie deel te neem. Die ouderdom van die vyf manlike en nege vroulike deelnemers het tussen 26 en 54 jaar gewissel. Die onderwysers, wat almal minstens vyf jaar se praktykervaring gehad het, moes oop vrae beantwoord oor die doeleindes van assessering, hulle eie sienings rakende goeie assesseringspraktyke, die rol van terugvoer en handelinge in assessering wat daarop gemik is om leer te optimaliseer. Die bevindings van die studie word bespreek aan die hand van Bereiter se raamwerk van kennisbou in die onderwys en die maniere waarop kennisoortuigings in professionele leer tot die uitbouing van pedagogiese inhoudskennis bydra. Die hoofbevindings was dat die onderwysers deeglik oor assesseringsdoeleindes en goeie assesseringspraktyke ingelig is en weet hoe om terugvoer te hanteer en wat om met assesseringsinligting te doen om leer te verbeter. Die onderwysers is ook vol vertroue dat hulle kennis en praktyke voldoende en doelmatig is. Hulle voorkeurpraktyke is daarop gerig om leerderprestasie te verbeter. Die onderwysers het 'n behoefte aan opleiding in die gebruik van taksonomieë en tegnologie, en het 'n verlenging van onderwyspraktykervaring voorgestel. Die implikasies hiervan vir die opleiding van onderwysers en voortgesette professionele leer is ten slotte bespreek.

Teacher evaluation policy in Arab-Israeli schools through the lens of micropolitics: implications for teacher education

ABSTRACT As part of a larger mixed-method study on teacher evaluation, this paper explores how cultural and socio-political contexts of the Israeli Arab public schools inform principals’ high-stakes evaluation processes for attaining tenure. Concepts from micropolitical theory were used to analyse data from in-depth semi-structured interviews with twenty novice teachers and twenty principals. Findings from the qualitative data suggest that power relations and contextual features of Israeli-Arab society such as collectivism and face-keeping direct how decisions are made and limit the work of the actors involved. The study provides insights into how principals exercise their power to attain what they interpret as teacher quality while evaluating teachers, and how the latter interpret such power relations in their local contexts. It also suggests the need for substantive groundwork in preparing prospective teachers for the high-stakes teacher evaluation processes that characterise the Israeli-Arab education system and the efforts to maintain teacher quality.

Educating quality teachers: how teacher quality is understood in the Netherlands and its implications for teacher education

ABSTRACT National and international education policies acknowledge the importance of the quality of teachers. Research literature emphasises the teacher profession as an dynamic and extended profession, driven by a moral perspective and a collaborative identity across the profession. In this paper the question is raised to what extent this understanding is reflected in the way in which teacher quality is defined within the Dutch policy context. The Dutch narrative describes how the debate on teacher quality over the past 20 years has led to an image of a static, fragmented, narrow and instrumentalized profession. This creates a dilemma for teacher education institutes, balancing between the narrow formal expectations and the extended profession as derived from research. Creating space for that wider and innovative identity of teachers will require a process of redefining teacher quality in which all stakeholders need to play an active role.

Comprehension of experienced English language teachers’ professional identity and related metacognitive thinking procedures

ABSTRACT In order to comprehend the attributes of expert teachers, the current study investigated professional identity (PI) and related metacognitive thinking procedures of experienced Korean teachers of English through a questionnaire survey and interviews. The teachers’ PIs contained pedagogic meanings that highly regarded teachers’ having language knowledge and skills, realising learner-centred practices, teaching communication skills for practicality, and developing professionalism. They relatively less valued practising teacher-led, test-preparation lessons but also using challenging tasks and creative materials and combining content, materials, and activities, which reflects their unestablished meanings of learner-centredness. Some of the interviewed teachers revealed their active performance of metacognitive monitoring and regulations of different meanings (cognitions), emotions, and actions over their pedagogical problem-solving processes for overcoming teacher-led, test-preparation lessons. Thus, experimenting with negotiated pedagogies and modifying their pedagogic meanings by learning from this, they tried to balance identity-congruent actions and verification, and reshaped their PI and related metacognitive thinking procedures; others’ pedagogic experimentations and related experiences were rejected by contextual rigidities. Comprehension of the PI and related metacognitive thinking procedures of experienced teachers provided several implications for teacher education.

The Evolving Concept of (Language) Assessment Literacy. Implications for Teacher Education

Language teachers’ assessment knowledge and skills have received considerable attention from language assessment researchers over the past few decades (Davison & Leung, 2009; Hill & McNamara, 2012; Rea-Dickins, 2001; Taylor, 2013). This seems to be linked to the increased professionalism expected of them in classroom-based assessments. However, teachers seem to face a number of challenges, including how large-scale standardized language exams influence their classroom assessment practices. Teachers’ assessment literacy, therefore, needs to be examined in order to explain their assessment decisions. In this paper, we review the concept of (language) assessment literacy, how it has evolved and how it is conceptualized currently. Recent interpretations seem to reflect a multidimensional, dynamic and situated view of (language) assessment literacy. Implications for teacher education are also highlighted by presenting research findings from studies that explored teachers’ and teacher candidates’ assessment literacy in various educational contexts. As a result, we can identify some common patterns in classroom assessment practices as well as context-specific training needs. Finally, we make a recommendation for tackling some of the challenges language teachers are facing in relation to classroom-based assessment in the Hungarian context.

Öğretmen bilişi: Öğretmenlik alışkanlıklarını geliştiren ve yöneten güçlü bir olgu

Teaching has a complex feature being both a cognitive activity as well as a social behavior; thus, it is highly crucial to monitor how teachers develop and govern their habits and behavioral tendencies in the classroom. Teachers’ mental government has been the focus of educational research for a long time, because it is known to drive their actions. Considering teacher cognition as a powerful asset to develop and govern the habits of teaching, this paper adopts a conceptual review approach and presents a comprehensive and integrated literature review on teacher cognition along with its historical basis, key components, conceptual domains, origins, and driving forces. Building upon the empirical and theoretical literature compiled over a four-decade period, the paper presents a tripartite model regarding the conceptual domains of teacher cognition. As it is influenced by contextual circumstances surrounding teachers’ personal and professional lives, the concept of teacher cognition is revisited with regard to three origins and three driving forces. In this regard, the paper reconsiders teacher cognition in terms of the ways it is constructed and the ways it is oriented to action, and finally concludes with implications for teacher education.

Using Reflective Journals to Characterize Pre-Service Teacher Professional Noticing Skills

This study examined professional teacher noticing in the context of written responses 12 pre-service teachers (PSTs) provided in a reflective journal after posing addition and subtraction problems for students in an after-school tutoring program. Professional teacher noticing skills, attending, interpreting, and deciding, were situated within the well-defined mathematics content and associated trajectory of student strategies for the meaning of addition and subtraction. A three-point rubric was designed and utilized to analyze PST attending, interpreting, and deciding responses. Results characterize what PSTs “could do” relative to each skill as well as development of noticing skills over time. Results also highlight how PSTs included a rationale and next steps in deciding responses that related to supporting student understanding of the meaning of addition and subtraction, providing additional practice, and teaching solution strategies. Implications for teacher education are discussed.