Language Teacher Education Research Articles

Lack of Eye Gaze and its Effects on Spoken Interaction in Synchronous Online Communication

The importance of oral interaction in language learning is well recognised, and this paper examines the factors that hinder English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ active participation in online discussions during Synchronous Online Communication. Using focus groups with 51 Cypriot Greek-speaking students from three tertiary institutions in Cyprus, thematic analysis revealed that the perceived prominent factor inhibiting oral interaction in the online environment was the absence of eye gaze and its associated social functions. Specifically, eye gaze was identified as a signal for turn-taking, turn-yielding, and turn-denying, whose absence hindered learners’ ability to interpret their peers’ and teachers’ intentions and expectations. The paper concludes with pedagogical implications for technologists, software developers, students, language teachers, and language teacher educators.

“I felt like I was being judged…”: A duoethnography exploring international language teacher educator identities

“I felt like I was being judged…”: A duoethnography exploring international language teacher educator identities

A transnational language teacher educator's autoethnographic pursuit of reflexivity in Hong Kong

A transnational language teacher educator's autoethnographic pursuit of reflexivity in Hong Kong

The Applicability of Critical Pedagogy in Adult English Language Teaching (ELT)

This paper explores the applicability of critical pedagogy in adult ELT, emphasizing its role in fostering social awareness and change. Critical pedagogy encourages learners to critically examine their social reality, engage in meaningful dialogues, and become active agents for social justice. However, incorporating this approach into adult ELT faces some challenges. This study addresses four major obstacles to critical pedagogy implementation. The four challenges are a) lack of teacher preparation, b) potential risk of misguiding learners, c) cultural barriers in certain countries and regions, and d) insufficient infrastructure for aligning materials and assessment with critical pedagogy. Despite these challenges, evidence from literature and existing successful case studies suggest that critical pedagogy can be integrated inro ELT with thoughtful adjustments. The current paper provides insights for adult English program leaders to overcome such challenges and implement critical pedagogy effectively, thus empowering learners to achieve both linguistic proficiency and social transformation.

The impact of training provisions on novice English language teachers in Hong Kong: A systematic review

AbstractThe early years of learning and the transition period are important for novice teachers. This systematic review investigated the influence that training provisions for novice primary and secondary English language teachers in Hong Kong have had on their initial workplace experience. From a large body of literature dated between 1980 and 2023, a final set of 20 articles that met our inclusion criteria was analysed using Kumaravadivelu's (2012) model of second language teacher education (consisting of the five modules of Knowing, Analysing, Recognising, Doing and Seeing). The findings were condensed into three thematic strands: (i) teacher authority: novice teachers can feel lost among different authorities (including ideological conflicts between university and school authorities) and their desire to establish their own teacher authority, but must eventually learn to think from the students' perspective to improve teaching, (ii) teacher socialisation: whether obtaining sufficient colleague and mentor support or not would lead to their diverse experiences, and (iii) two weaknesses in teacher preparation that require attention across both university preparation and in‐school training: the novice teachers were under‐prepared in procedural knowledge and in learning to theorize. These findings provide internationally relevant theoretical contributions that can advance the understanding of both novice teacher development and primary and secondary English language teacher training. From a practical perspective, the findings point to areas that need attention in novice language teachers' transition to the workplace and this may be relatable to international audiences. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyThis systematic review aims to reveal how the training provisions in Hong Kong have influenced early‐year primary and secondary school English language teachers' initial workplace experience.Why the new findings matterOur findings will reveal what impact training provisions for novice English language teachers may have on their initial workplace experience and what gaps may exist in such provisions.Implications for researchers, practitioners and teacher educatorsThe findings in this study can be applied to many other contexts like Hong Kong where English is used as one of the official languages or as a second language. Our recommendations can inform English language teacher education, by highlighting: (a) how novice teachers can feel lost between two different authorities: the school and the university; (b) how novice teachers can undergo a range of positive and negative experiences in their socialisation process; (c) how novice teachers struggle to develop their procedural knowledge; and (d) that novice teachers may not have received enough support in theory‐building.

Teaching as a performative art

This paper reports on diagnostic workshops conducted at a teacher training centre in Istanbul focusing on how Applied Theatre methods can support English Language Teacher Education in the areas of self-awareness and self-reflection. The workshops provided 12 participant English Language teachers experience of Applied Theatre methods and techniques to elicit feedback on their pedagogic value and efficacy in teaching. Through dialogue and reflection, participants identified the performative and meta-performative skills they valued from the workshops. While Applied Theatre methods have a proven track record in many contexts, they are rarely utilized in teacher development programmes. Feedback from the workshops revealed that Applied Theatre methods, notably Forum Theatre, provide embodied, participant-led, solution-oriented, multiple voiced opportunities for reflection and dialogue on critical incidents teachers’ face. In addition, participants highlighted performative skills pertaining to developing awareness of self, others and setting that are disregarded in current competence-based teacher education programmes. Participants also uncovered meta-performative skills reflecting on why teachers act in the way that they do. The workshops provide an initial template to create teacher development programmes incorporating Forum Theatre and other Applied Theatre techniques.

Pre-service foreign language teachers’ TPACK preparation for technology integration: what are the profiles and key drivers?

ABSTRACT Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) denotes teachers’ professional knowledge to teach specific subjects in the age of information and communication technology. Though the TPACK framework has received extensive research attention in the educational technology field, little effort has been devoted to the profiles of TPACK and technology integration from an intraindividual perspective. Also, the role of TPACK in facilitating technology integration needs more comprehensive exploration before it offers greater theoretical contributions to directing foreign language teacher education. This study explored the profiles of TPACK and technology integration intention using latent profile analysis (LPA) with a sample of 474 pre-service Chinese-as-a-foreign-language (CFL) teachers. The roles of each TPACK component in facilitating technology integration intentions were also examined based on comparative structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses that account for the integrative and transformative views of TPACK. The results provided both person-centred and variable-centred evidence on the contribution of TPACK in preparing teachers’ technology integration. The importance of technology-related knowledge in fostering TPACK has been highlighted, while TK and TPCK were found to be essential dimensions that influenced teachers’ technology integration intention. The findings offer significant implications for future language teacher education to promote technology-integrated instruction through TPACK preparation.

Investigating the plurilingual profiles and linguistic repertoires of student language teachers: issues of SLA, multilingual assessment, and the role of L2 Italian in a localized Greek context

Abstract Plurilingual competence or repertoire of languages refers to all individuals being potentially plurilingual. As plurilingual competence and language repertoires are individual, assessment modes targeted to the individual and localized to the context should be encouraged. This study explored and depicted the plurilingual profile of Italian Studies students (and thus student language teachers) in the Greek context through various modes. The role of the Italian language in this localized context was also explored and the language trajectory was attempted to be de-picted qualitatively. The instruments used were the Language Passport, the DIALANG diagnostic test, the ECML ‘Self-evaluate your language skills’ tool, a plurilingual portrait (to make the language repertoire visible), and a short personal written narrative. It is mainly a qualitative study, and instances of multi-method research are also present. Moreover, the whole procedure contributed to incorporating plurilingualism and multiculturalism into language teacher education for student Italian language teachers in higher education.

Understanding EFL teachers’ experiences of ChatGPT-driven collaborative reflective practice through a community of practice lens

ABSTRACT Purpose: Despite the acknowledged impact of generative artificial intelligence chatbot (ChatGPT) in the field of education, further research is necessary to explore the potential of ChatGPT in enhancing the professional growth of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers. Hence, this study aims to uncover how Iranian EFL teachers’ (four novice and four experienced teachers) ChatGPT-driven collaborative reflective practice (CRP), both independently and collaboratively, can contribute to their professional development. Design/methodology/approach: We adopted a transcendental phenomenology approach which encouraged us to eliminate any biases or preconceived notions we may have had regarding the phenomenon under investigation and analyzed the data thematically. Findings: Findings gathered through group discussions, observations, and semi-structured interviews demonstrated that EFL teachers developed professionally through ChatGPT-driven CRP done individually and collaboratively. Teachers’ individual reflection with ChatGPT served as a complementary preparatory step for contributing insightful perspectives during CRP in the community of practice (CoP). Originality/value: Discussion of findings indicates the ways ChatGPT-driven CRP as a new mode can enhance the quality of language teacher education and professional development programs, especially in disadvantaged contexts where mentors and teacher educators are not always available to provide language teachers with reflective feedback.

The relationship between beliefs and practice in language teaching education

According to Woods (2003), understanding the relationship between beliefs and actions is crucial for research on beliefs about language learning and teaching and for understanding teachers’ practices. The studies on this topic usually investigate what teachers say abouttheir believe regarding specific aspects of language teaching and learning and what they actually do in practice. These studies reveal that on the one hand, beliefs influence practice and these, in turn, influence beliefs. On the other hand, the results usually show either divergence or convergence between beliefs and practice. However, this relationship is not so straightforward, as many researchers have already pointed out (Barcelos 2006, Breen et al. 2001, Richardson 1996, Woods 1996). According to Richardson (1996), we need to understand the complexities of the teaching contexts and of teachers’ beliefs within their contexts. In view of that, in this article, I reflect on the relationship between beliefs and practice in general and highlight the complexity of this relationship by pointing out some factors that influence this relationship, such as contextual factors, methodology employed, among others. I conclude with implications for language teacher education and for research on the relationship between beliefs and practices. /Keywords: beliefs, language learning, language teacher education

English language teacher education and linguistic shame and shaming in non-Anglophone settings: the case of Sri Lanka

ABSTRACT Affect plays a significant role in language teaching and learning and in use of languages, and this includes the phenomenon of linguistic shame. Although shame is considered personal by many, its origins are social; linguistic shame is inextricably connected to language use as a social practice. In this paper, we focus on English language teacher education in settings outside the Anglosphere where English is taught and learned as an additional language, in which pre-service English teachers are generally also learners of English. Awareness and understanding of linguistic shame within language teacher education in such settings has implications for participation in the learning of pre-service teachers. Drawing on data from pre-service English teacher education in the non-Anglophone setting of Sri Lanka, we discuss the understanding of linguistic shame and shaming as a social practice, awareness of and responses to it in teacher education classrooms, and the implications.

Current Policies and Pedagogies of English Language Teacher Education: Unveiling Social Challenges

Current Policies and Pedagogies of English Language Teacher Education: Unveiling Social Challenges

DISCUSSING THE ISSUES OF BUILDING A SYSTEM OF TRAINING LOCAL CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN KAZAKHSTAN

Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, this study focuses on the construction and optimisation of the local Chinese language teacher education system in Kazakhstan. By examining in detail, the structure and function of the current system of Chinese language teacher training in Kazakhstan and the multiple challenges it faces, we use comparative pedagogical methods and refer to successful models of teacher education at home and abroad, with the aim of proposing a set of actionable strategic recommendations. These proposals aim not only to promote the professional growth and stability of local Chinese language teachers, but also to enhance the quality and effi-ciency of Chinese language teaching, thus promoting the popularisation and application of Chinese language in Kazakhstan. Srengthening international co-operation in the field of language education, especially exchanges with China, iscrucial for enhancing understanding and deepening the human-istic bond between the two peoples. Therefore, this study also aims to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the construction of a shared linguistic and cultural platform connected two countries and promoted of the regional practice of the concept "community of human destiny", thus contributing to the pluralistic dialogue and harmonious coexistence among the countries along the "Belt and Road".

Investigating Pre-Service EFL Teachers’ Self-efficacy in Their Classroom Management Skills using the EPOSTL as a Self-assessment Tool

Self-efficacy in classroom management is one of the important dimensions of the concept of teacher self-efficacy. Higher levels of classroom management self-efficacy (CMSE) have been positively correlated with an increase in teacher resilience and students’ learning outcomes. Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to develop CMSE beliefs to promote the quality of their teaching. Although the issue of classroom management has been comprehensively explored in the field of education, there are not many studies focusing on pre-service EFL teachers’ development of CMSE beliefs. Moreover, the relationship among several variables such as teachers’ affective states and students’ attitudes towards teachers or courses has been explored in the context of foreign language education (FLE). However, whether there is a relationship between self-assessment and development of CMSE beliefs in FLE settings has not been studied extensively. In this vein, the purpose of this study is to investigate pre-service EFL teachers’ CMSE beliefs depending on their use of the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) as a self-assessment tool in their undergraduate education. This study follows an interventionist experimental design based on mix-method data collection. The participants of the study are 31 senior pre-service EFL teachers studying at a state university in Türkiye. Quantitative data of this study were collected through Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) by Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy (2001) in the form of pre-test and post-test to the participants. Between pre and posttest period, the participants assessed themselves through the EPOSTL for three times. Qualitative data were collected through the participants’ reflective reports and semi-structured interviews and subjected to thematic analysis. The findings of the study have shown that the use of EPOSTL leads to an increase in participants’ level of CMSE beliefs. It may be stated that the wide-spread use of the EPOSTL can be fostered by designing language teacher education programs as more reflection-oriented. By this way, pre-service EFL teachers’ autonomy, CMSE beliefs, perseverance, and continuous professional development can be sustained.

English language teacher educators’ knowledge and skills on early grade reading instruction

This study investigated English language teacher educators' knowledge and skills on early grade reading instruction. It employed a quantitative design, particularly the descriptive comparative one, utilizing cluster random sampling method to include all (N = 43) English language teacher educators from three teacher education colleges (15 from Arba Minch, 11 from Hosana and 17 from Hawassa) in Ethiopia. The study used test and years of teaching experience as instruments to collect data. It employed descriptive statistics and One sample t-test to identify level of knowledge and skills English language teacher educators had on early grade reading, Multiple regression and Beta weights to determine the combined and relative contributions of domains of the early grade reading for English language teacher educators' knowledge and skills while Spearman's rho Correlation to examine the relationship between English language teacher educators' years of teaching experience and their knowledge and skills test score. Findings revealed that majority of English language teacher educators were at low level of knowledge and skills; they scored the skills test better than the knowledge one. Moreover, English language teacher educators in the current study had significantly low’ level of early grade reading knowledge and skills compared to participants' early grade reading knowledge and skills in the hypothesized population, indicating that there are substantial differences on early grade reading knowledge and skills between the two groups. Although early grade reading domains together significantly contributed to English language teacher educators' level of content knowledge and skills, phonemic was the most while morphology was the least contributor. However, English language teacher educators' years of teaching experience did not show any significant correlation with their early grade reading knowledge and skills. The study concluded that English language teacher educators might not fully equip the preservice English language teachers with the content knowledge and skills to teach the early grade reading.

Identities of Non-English-Dominant Teachers-In-Training: Alignments and Tensions

ABSTRACT This study examines how non-English-dominant English language teachers-in-training who undertake transnational language teacher education represent their language teacher identities (LTIs) in terms of four facets: claimed, assigned, practised, and imagined identities. It examines the alignments and tensions between and within these facets of LTI. Photo-elicitation data was collected from 10 non-English-dominant teachers-in-training who were international students undertaking language teacher education in Australia. Through a qualitative content analysis, seven representations of LTIs were identified across the four facets of LTI: knowledge transmission, learner-centredness, nurturing, teachers as learners, English experts, teacher dispositions, and professional uncertainty. Although alignments between these facets of LTI were identified, tensions within and between the facets of LTI tended to figure more prominently in the LTI representations of the teachers-in-training in this study. These tensions appeared to emerge from discrepancies between professional aspirations and external expectations. The study has implications for raising the awareness of teachers-in-training and their ability to reflect on teacher identities.

When we learn together: Teachers and students as co-practitioners of learning and living through exploratory practice

In this article, we address collegiality among students and teachers and its potential for promoting meaningful experiences in teaching-learning processes. We analyse episodes drawn from the pedagogical practices of two of the authors of this text, who have taught English (Episode 1) and Portuguese (Episode 2). These episodes took place in two Brazilian public sector schools located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Throughout our discussion, as Brazilian teacher-researchers, we align ourselves with studies on teaching-learning and language teacher education developed by the Exploratory Practice Group of Rio de Janeiro, with studies on autoethnography, as well as with the theoretical-analytical tools of narrative studies. As a result, we found that teaching proposals that encourage collaboration between students and teachers can promote meaningful experiences in the teaching-learning process. These proposals may not be easily negotiated due to power relations in the interactions between teachers and students.

Practicing intentional mentorship: An unfinished journey of a language teacher educator and her (future) mentees

AbstractAs a language teacher educator (LTE) at a Doctoral Universities ‐ High Research Activity (R2) institution, this invitation to document how the first author (Gloria) has come to (re)construct and (re)negotiate her identity as an LTE is both timely and necessary, as the academic year 2024–2025 marks her 17th year at her institution. In this conceptual feature article, she begins this narrativized journey as one way to reflect on who she is and who she has become as an LTE, and she has invited four of her former mentees (Silvia, Marie, Shannon, and Sarah) who have become her co‐authors and co‐editors in various publication opportunities. Using poetic and narrativized writing, Gloria and her mentees share snapshots of their reflections and reflexivity in working together to understand and define intentional mentoring practices. The authors conclude with their own definitions of intentional mentoring practice and invite the journal audience to collectively engage in our unfinished journey.

Online language teaching in times of change: a CALL to action for language teachers and educators

Abstract Change, whether slowly developing over decades or rapid change caused by worldwide crises, affects education and educators profoundly. This article argues for a change in language teacher education embracing the changing world of online communication, and emphasising the epistemological awareness language teachers need to bring to the online classroom. Based on Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) research and best practice examples from across the world, the paper outlines past changes, contextualises online language teaching in the wider area of online communication and describes progress in practice, theory and epistemological understanding of online teaching. It culminates in a series of evidence-based suggestions for future training and education of language teachers that will integrate adequate pedagogy and an enhanced epistemological understanding.

The (im)possible mission of language teacher educators in Germany: Identity formation, development, and practice in institutionalised settings

AbstractResearch on language teacher identity and its development has shown that it can be crucial for teacher education to understand how identity development takes place. The few findings to date on language teacher educators and their identities show individual negotiation processes and antinomies, particularly due to transitions from teacher to teacher educator, the parallel roles of researcher and teacher educator, and so on. The project presented here examines the language teacher educator identities of 12 professionals within a highly structured training program in Germany through narrative inquiry as a means to allow for the reconstruction of biographies, identities, and practices. The narratives illustrate the normative settings of the structured system, such as set curricular guidelines, which can rarely be fulfilled by the teacher trainees, a lack of trust and professional relationship, or the struggle of the teacher educators between advisor on the one hand and evaluator on the other. The results provide implications and recommendations for other institutionalised settings in which language teacher educators work.