PGCE Students Research Articles

REVIEWS

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Meeting the needs of PGCE students wishing to teach their second/subsidiary foreign language

Many schools working in partnership with Higher Education Institutions prefer to offer placements to Modern Foreign Language (MFL) trainees who are able to teach two languages, in order to give MFL departments a greater degree of flexibility. This presents a problem, however, as only a minority of language undergraduates study two languages to degree level and an insufficient number of these are subsequently attracted to teaching. This article considers attempts at Kingston University to provide tuition for trainees wishing to improve their second/subsidiary1 teaching language with the intention of contributing to the debate within schools and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers about how best to address this issue. The opinions of trainees from two successive cohorts (1998–99 and 1999–2000) were sought by means of informal discussion and questionnaires. The research is, therefore, invariably impressionistic, based on local, qualitative feedback data, rather than quantitative information.

Teaching English grammar in initial teacher training: a course evaluation

The article evaluates a course in English grammar taught to a group of secondary PGCE students specializing in English with Drama. The course concentrated on parts of speech, morphology and syntax but also included sessions on 'applied' grammar. The students' knowledge and understanding were assessed in an initial audit at the beginning of the course and in a test at the end to try to establish how much they had learned. Students' opinions of the course were also elicited. Results were mixed. Although all students improved their knowledge (some dramatically so), and expressed satisfaction with the course, approximately one-third failed to reach the required standard. The implications of this for course planning are discussed.

Making connections: football, the internet and reluctant language learners

This article describes a project carried out by PGCE students in an urban school. The project explored the potential of the World Cup and the internet for motivating reluctant language learners. By building on pupils' interests, it was hoped that they would ‘connect’ more with language learning. Reflections on the project offer insights into ways of encouraging greater motivation.

Reflective commentaries: what do they say about learning?

In the context of a growing literature which points to reflection being the means through which students can enhance and refine their own learning, the purpose of the study was to distinguish developmental differences in the reflective writing of PGCE(P) students at the end of their year of pre-service teacher education. The written content of 25 student commentaries was analysed in terms of three categories. Each category was then assigned a level of reflection. The main finding was that most of the categories were at a descriptive level of reflection, a level which the literature argues is not difficult to achieve. It is unclear why there should be a dominance of descriptive reflection at the expense of more demanding levels, but it is suggested that part of the reason may lie in the students conceptions of the purpose of the writing task.

Cross-subject Dialogue About Language: Attitudes and Perceptions of PGCE Students of English and Modern Languages

This paper reports the initial findings of a small, local study of student teachers' attitudes and perceptions in the area of knowledge about language. It is part of an attempt to generate cross-subject dialogue about language between student teachers training to teach either English or Modern Languages in the mainstream curriculum in England and Wales in order to provide greater consistency and communication in the school curriculum. The study identifies some causes of tension in this dialogue. A key finding is a high level of anxiety among student teachers of English concerning their explicit knowledge of language structure. This was inhibiting their participation in the dialogue. The anxiety was not so apparent among student teachers of Modern Languages and seemed to be related to the difficulty of making implicit knowledge about language explicit when the language was closely related to the student's personal and social identity. The paper considers the causes of this anxiety and how to develop better communication between the two curriculum areas. One important suggestion is to rethink the direction of language transfer. Insights gained from the study of additional languages can be used for the contemplation of the L1 structure rather than the reverse.

Making 'Good Citizens': The social and political attitudes of PGCE students

This article arises from a research project examining the understanding of 'citizenship' amongst trainee teachers in UK primary and secondary schools. The study covers attitudes to a broad range of social, political and moral issues and examines how these affect the students' perception of the socio-political dimension of their future professional role. Tracking a group of students through their postgraduate training year highlights the relationship between the individual's political world-view and their response to the school experience. One of the key findings is the high degree of political disengagement and cynicism about the operation of democracy in the UK; this is particularly strong amongst the youngest students, those coming to adulthood during the 1990s. Although the majority of students are positively inclined to fostering 'good citizenship values' in schools, there was much confusion over what it means to be 'a good citizen'. The concept of 'citizenship' was felt to be tainted with negative imagery, although a sense of 'being part of a community' was thought to be vital for social cohesion. In addition to this, a small minority of students displayed social attitudes and values incompatible with a pluralist, tolerant society. The teacher education experience did not appear to have given students a clear picture of what to teach or how to teach it, and both the pressures of the National Curriculum and the changing climate of schooling, favouring a more 'traditionalist' approach, may result in a greater unwillingness to tackle challenging issues.

To Challenge or Not To Challenge: The Mentor's Dilemma

This paper focuses upon open and distance learning initial teacher education in both primary and secondary sectors and explores the ways in which mentors challenge PGCE students in their professional thinking and classroom practice. It draws upon ethnographic research on mentors and student teachers during one presentation of the course. The data are based on observations of mentors working with students on final student placement, conversations with specialist subject mentor trainers as well as questionnaire and other source material. An analysis of how mentors articulate their knowledge base; the dialogue between mentor and student and the challenge of moving from novice to expert for the student teacher are all considered. Our conclusions have implications for all ITT and will also be a source of valuable practical help for student teachers and mentors.

Education for Citizenship: a case study of ‘Democracy Day’ at a comprehensive school

This article reports on a series of whole‐school activities which took place on one day in a northern comprehensive school under the umbrella heading of ‘Democracy Day: activities for citizenship’. The activities of a school working party which had the task of planning the day are considered as well as the issues that arose from the management of the exercises on the day itself. An extensive database was used to provide an evaluation of the day. Interview and questionnaire data was gathered from three main communities: the members of staff at the school, the school pupils who became involved in the activities and the PGCE students who helped staff on the day of the event. The events of Democracy Day were also observed by one of the authors. The day had many positive outcomes. Issues are discussed about the perceptions of the nature of learning achieved by different sexes and differently aged pupils, of the reactions to different teaching and learning styles and of the perceptions of the most appropriate structure for such an event as this.

Are We Producing Teaching Technicians or Science Educators? The consequences of differential demands on trainee science teachers

This paper discusses the background knowledge requirements for successful science educators in secondary schools. This discussion is illustrated by a short study in which science and non science PGCE students were asked about their background qualifications, what they were required to teach in their school placements and their confidence in doing so. The science students claimed that around 50% of their teaching was in topics outside their main subject area and reported difficulty and low confidence teaching these topics. This was compared with the experience of non‐science students and discussed in the light of current poor recruitment to both science studies and science teaching.

Researching the use of communication technologies in teacher education

The role and use of information and communication technologies in teacher education is of growing concern across Europe. The King’s College London component of a five nation European experimental study (FETICHE Project) has been exploring the reality of communications between teacher trainers in the university and their co-tutor partners in schools. What effect does the establishment of e-mail and conferencing facilities have upon the initiation, content and range of communication, and indeed the pedagogy of teacher education. The trial involves three college lecturers, six of their teacher tutor colleagues in schools and their PGCE students. Preliminary results indicate that identifying and getting operational suitable means of communication are fraught with difficulties. Impoverished and differential resourcing is a major inhibitor to schools going “on line”. Teacher educators, whether in universities or schools appear to have limited understanding and experience of ICT, with a complex set of perceptions that may be at odds with reality. The staff of university computer networks fail to understand users’ needs of distributed and distance networks. But most significantly it is clear that the existing partnership relationship between trainers in college and schools is out of balance, operating in parallel rather than together, and based upon substantial misconceptions. Nevertheless both partners perceive the need for improved communications, and in the whole FETICHE project, it has been possible to analyse the role that ICT may play, and define a related conceptual framework of users needs. It is clear that other projects planning similar experiments would need a greater commitment from institutions, including time for the actors to explore the systems, and a substantially improved technical and support infrastructure.

Why did secondary PGCE students choose teaching as a career?

Why did secondary PGCE students choose teaching as a career?

Perceptions of Preparation for Teaching Competence by PGCE Students: a comparison of cohorts over time and changes due to legislated demands on a school‐based primary course

Three separate cohorts of primary PGCE students were assessed on their end‐of‐course perceptions of preparation for teaching competencies. The cohorts represented students completing the University of Sussex, school‐based primary PGCE course before, immediately following and a year following government legislation (DES Circular 24/89) which recommended alteration of initial teacher training courses in line with the current government formulation of a National Curriculum and school‐based training. Course alterations increased curriculum‐based training time (especially core curriculum subjects: science, mathematics and English) while limiting time previously given to classroom/ management processes (including social, psychological and pedagogic issues). Results over the 3 years showed no increase in students’ self‐perceptions of competence for teaching aspects of the curriculum. The perceptions showed less certainty in planning/understanding classroom processes and an increased demand for time to be given to understanding learning process and management issues. Students were also concerned with the limited amount and depth of mentoring available in schools. Legislated course structure, as it currently stands, may not be sensitive to student/practitioner training needs. This paper suggests the prime focus on taught elements of the primary school curriculum found within current legislation and a simplistic concept of the requirements of school‐based mentoring does not adequately meet perceived ‘training’ needs of this new generation of teachers.

The School Experience of Some Minority Ethnic Students in London Schools During Initial Teacher Training

This paper describes an investigation of the in-school experiences of trainee teachers of some minority ethnic descent during their Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE secondary) course. Data is presented here which was collected at around the half-term point in the spring term: the time when recommendations about passing and potential failing candidates were being made through formal reporting techniques. The paper describes student perceptions of their in-school relationships with mentors, degrees of in-school comfort as well as the coping tactics deployed by the trainee teachers at this stage of their training. The paper also considers factors of race and difference which were raised by the PGCE students at this point in their course.

Stress and the Post Graduate Secondary School Trainee Teacher: A British case study

A case study of one cohort of student teachers taking a post graduate teacher training course in a British University is described. It examines the degree to which students are likely to self-report levels of stress. The stress experienced by the students and the effects this has on their physical and emotional health and their performance in school reported. The paper charts the (healthy and unhealthy) coping strategies employed by the students. Finally some positive tactics are considered which can be employed by PGCE students during their course and into their professional lives in school.

The physics of bungee jumping

The physics of bungee jumping is an excellent focus both for an A-level project and for exploring AT1 Science processes with a group of Physics PGCE students.

IT in mathematics initial teacher training ‐ factors influencing school experience

Abstract This paper presents some findings of a local study of the IT background of secondary mathematics PGCE students and the use these students made of IT in their mathematics lessons in schools. Traditional and school‐based initial training schemes are examined and although some differences appear regarding the use of IT in mathematics lessons, these differences are not large. Nationally, future secondary courses will be school‐based; implications for future training are considered.

Starting Teacher Training—new PGCE students and computers

This paper reports an investigation of students' experience of computers, and their feelings about computers, at the start of a one year secondary postgraduate teacher training course. The students' perceptions of their knowledge of computers and confidence when starting to learn how to use computers are also reported, along with their ratings of the importance of teachers knowing about computers. Gender differences in these areas are described, and some implications of the results of the research for teacher training are discussed.

Interview ratings and later performance of PGCE students

Summary Judgements made about the personal qualities of candidates for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education course were compared with similar judgements made about students later in the course and with their teaching competence as demonstrated on final teaching practice. Little correspondence was found. While very high initial ratings were usually confirmed by later good performance, teaching competence was generally not predictable from the initial judgements.

Sixth‐formers' Perceptions of the Effective Teacher of Mathematics at ‘O’ Level

AbstractOne hundred and ninety‐four first‐year sixth‐form college pupils completed a questionnaire in which they were asked to rate 38 teacher characteristics according to the extent to which they perceived each of the characteristics to be associated with the effective teacher of mathematics at ‘O’ level. A specific criterion of teacher effectiveness was employed: pupil success at ‘O’ level. The characteristics with the highest mean ratings were ‘explains points clearly and at pupils' level’, ‘is confident and at ease when teaching’ and ‘pays attention to revision and examination technique’. A principal components analysis of the ratings identified five factors which were labelled: ‘positive rapport’, ‘monitoring progress', ‘aloof discipline’, ‘exam oriented’ and ‘enthusiast’. The similarities and differences of the findings here with those reported in earlier studies using the same questionnaire with heads of mathematics departments in secondary schools and PGCE students are discussed, and the relationship between these findings and research elsewhere is explored.