Pre-service English Language Teachers Research Articles

Exploring pre-service English language teachers’ readiness for AI-integrated language instruction

ABSTRACT Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have created new opportunities in education. While existing research has largely focused on AI’s role in educational contexts and teachers’ perceptions of AI-supported learning, there remains a notable gap in understanding teachers’ readiness to integrate AI into their instructional practices. This study addresses this gap by exploring pre-service English language teachers’ (PELTs) readiness to incorporate AI into their future classrooms, specifically examining their confidence in using AI, attitudes towards AI, and perceived needs for training and support. The study involved nine PELTs enrolled at a state university in Türkiye and employed a qualitative methodology. Data were collected through reflective journals and semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was used to identify key findings. Results revealed that PELTs generally hold positive attitudes towards AI-supported education but emphasize the need for targeted training and additional support to implement AI effectively in their teaching practices. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing AI-related training programs for pre-service teachers to facilitate the integration of AI in education. Future research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to validate these results and provide robust insights for policymaking and curriculum development.

Exploring Queer Colombian Preservice English Language Teachers' Perceptions Towards Queering English Language Teaching

ABSTRACTRecent initiatives have highlighted the need for integrating a gender perspective into English Language teaching (ELT), particularly in Colombia where gender diversity in education lacks significant sociocultural advancement. This study investigates the perceptions of 11 queer preservice English‐language teachers (PSELTs) from a Colombian public university, using semistructured interviews to explore their views on queering ELT and their future roles as educators. The findings emphasise the importance and challenges of adopting a queer perspective in ELT, essential for creating inclusive environments that respect (queer) students' identities. Moreover, the experiences of these PSELTs during their training have empowered and motivated them as future educators to advocate for societal transformation by promoting awareness of gender diversity in Colombian EFL classrooms. This study supports critical educational reforms that recognise and integrate diverse identities, enriching teaching practices and fostering inclusive learning environments.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Perceptions toward the Use of ICT: The SQD Scale

The role of technology in the field of education continues to grow and the widespread adoption of online education in recent years has secured the importance attached to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). In line with this, the current study aims to unveil pre-service teachers’ perceptions of how well their teacher training programs prepare them for effective ICT utilization and the level of support they receive from their teacher training programs as to effective ICT use by employing the synthesis of qualitative evidence (SQD) scale. With this aim in mind, the study adopts a convergent-parallel mixed methods design and the data have been garnered from a total of 191 pre-service English language teachers studying at 9 different teacher training programs across Türkiye. The analyses of the quantitative and qualitative data indicate that a majority of pre-service teachers think that the level of support they receive from their teacher training programs in terms of effective ICT use is not satisfactory. The perceptions of the participants that consider their teacher training programs (in)effective in terms of ICT use have also been presented within the study. Finally, several suggestions have been provided for teacher training programs with the aim of training pre-service with better and higher ICT utilization skills.

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.

English language preservice teachers’ attitudes towards Singlish and their beliefs about the utility of contrastive pedagogies in the language classroom

ABSTRACT Singlish, also known as Singapore Colloquial English, has been the focus of many studies, but its tenability as a tool in the classroom has received scant discussion. This study explores English language preservice teachers’ attitudes towards Singlish and their beliefs towards use of contrastive pedagogies in the English language classroom. Adopting a mixed-methods study involving quantitative and qualitative data, 40 preservice teachers majoring in English from the National Institute of Education were surveyed and interviews with eight participants subsequently conducted. The findings reveal that participants appraise Singlish positively for its affordances in fostering rapport and a healthy classroom culture. Despite concerns that language classrooms should only focus on quality input, Singlish is recognised for its ability to reduce students’ affective filter and increase their accessibility to standard English. Participants generally supported the inclusion of Singlish in the English language classroom, using contrastive pedagogies to promote students’ noticing of language features.

Exploring the Possible Selves of Pre-Service English and Filipino Language Teachers: Insights into Language Teacher Preparation

Despite the growing interest in understanding the complex nature of possible selves among pre-service language teachers, an in-depth exploration into its intricacy and how this can directly inform language teacher preparation remains relatively scarce. Using qualitative-descriptive research design, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the possible selves of pre-service English and Filipino language teachers, specifically focusing on identifying their hoped-for selves and feared selves as future language teachers. The participants were 20 pre-service language teachers from a state university in the southernmost part of the Philippines, evenly divided between Bachelor of Secondary Education-English and Bachelor of Secondary Education-Filipino, who were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through a reflective journal, an unstructured questionnaire which explored the participants’ experiences with 40-session practice teaching, and an experiential learning course which ran for 10 weeks. The reflective journals were analyzed thematically following an AI-assisted inductive thematic analysis procedure. The analysis revealed a complex panorama of pre-service English and Filipino language teachers’ possible selves, highlighting a myriad of their hoped-for and feared selves. The findings enhanced theoretical understanding of possible selves in language teacher education and further propounded the critical need for a multifaceted approach to language teacher preparation.

COVID-19 Educational Side Effects: Pre-service EFL Teachers' Use of Digital Education Tools

Recent research has revealed the complexities of incorporating technology tools into lessons, despite the creation of several platforms and applications for education (Wen & Hua, 2020). The radical shift from traditional to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled teachers and students to develop technical skills to adapt to this new reality. This study explores the impact of this phenomenon on the perspectives of Pre-Service (PS) English language teachers (students in a teacher-training program), regarding the use of technology to support their own English language learning (ELL) process. To achieve this, an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach was employed. A questionnaire consisting of seven Likert scale statements and six open-ended questions was administered to 32 PS teachers from the English Language B.A program at a major public university in Southeast Mexico. Subsequently, eight participants were interviewed. The results indicated that despite most participants having prior knowledge of technological tools and educational platforms before the pandemic, they did not utilize them to support their ELL. However, the findings also revealed a positive response from participants towards continuing to use digital platforms due to perceived benefits experienced during Emergency Remote Teaching. These findings provide additional evidence concerning English learning and teaching and how classes can be more effective and significant using platforms and applications if classrooms are well equipped.

Generative AI-assisted, evidence-informed use of L1 in L2 classrooms

Abstract Purposeful and strategic use of L1 can help with L2 learning. However, in many contexts, monolingual immersion approaches dominate, leading language teachers to refrain from using L1. It can also mean that teachers are not professionally prepared to implement evidence-informed uses of L1. In this article, we share the findings of an intervention study that aimed to raise preservice English language teachers’ awareness of purposeful L1 use while co-exploring ways generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (e.g. ChatGPT) can aid teachers’ knowledge development and strategic utilization of L1 in L2 classrooms. Data were collected from fifty-six preservice language teachers in Hong Kong through a pre- and post-intervention mixed-method survey and follow-up group interviews. The findings show that explicit instruction on the use of L1 in L2 classrooms can increase preservice teachers’ intention to use L1 as well as their knowledge about the evidence-informed use of L1 and the ways in which generative AI tools can assist their implementation of L1.

‘Walking out from the flat’: Pre-service English language teachers’ experiences of and needs for English as a lingua franca during study-abroad

Globalisation and internationalisation have significantly shaped the global status of English as a lingua franca (ELF). Recently, it has been argued that ELF should be understood from a multilingual perspective in English-medium instruction (EMI) education. Although EMI policy and practice have been examined and discussed in scholarship, an examination of ELF in relation to EMI is essential for bridging the gap between the policy and practice level of EMI. This qualitative study unpacked the study-abroad ELF experiences and needs for support of Chinese pre-service English language teachers after their first month of postgraduate teacher education study at a Scottish university. After thematic analysis of the focus group data, the findings revealed participants’ negativity in their daily and academic ELF experiences, though limited positive ELF experiences existed. Participants called for extra-curricular activities, a more engaging and communicative pedagogy in EMI classroom, and international student diversification and engagements with peer support in international universities. They urged curriculum innovation in English and intercultural communication education. This study sheds light on the development of curriculum, language policy, and student support in international universities. The paper ends with further insights into ELF experiences in a broader context where ELF is intertwined with EMI.

The Pedagogy of Cultivating Confidence and Assertiveness in Preservice English Language Teachers in Order to Enhance their Self-Concept

The Pedagogy of Cultivating Confidence and Assertiveness in Preservice English Language Teachers in Order to Enhance their Self-Concept

Pre-Service English Language Teacher Readiness Before and After a Practicum Interrupted by the Pandemic

With a quantitative research design, the present study aims to explore the teacher readiness of pre-service foreign language teachers during the practicum in terms of their perceived teaching self-efficacies, attitudes towards teaching, and teaching motivations. In order to uncover changes in pre-service foreign language teachers' perceived teaching self-efficacies, attitudes towards teaching, and teaching motivations, two sets of quantitative data from 80 last year English Language Teaching students enrolled in a teaching practice class at a Turkish state university were collected through three different scales before and after the practicum period, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings revealed significant increases in the participants' perceived teaching self-efficacies and attitudes towards teaching at the end of the practicum. Moreover, the teaching motivations of the participants appeared to have changed towards more altruistic and intrinsic orientations at the end of the practicum. Considering the unique and unusual conditions emerged during the data collection period, the study sheds light on the cruciality of the practicum period in teacher education even in such crisis situations.

Applying cognitive grammar to the Count/Mass Distinction

Abstract This exploratory case study contributes to the ongoing “methodological consolidation” in Applied Cognitive Linguistics (Wirag et al. 2022). It does so by examining the relationship between pre-service English language teachers’ attitudes toward grammar teaching and their acceptance of an innovative pedagogical approach to the Count/Mass Distinction (CMD) inspired by Cognitive Grammar (CG). Eleven first-year college students at a teacher-training University College in Belgium participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ beliefs about grammar and grammar teaching. Elements of a CG approach to the CMD were integrated into a lesson plan and presented to the participants. The participants were then divided into two random focus groups. The interviews followed a semi-structured format, and a thematic analysis was performed on the transcripts. The data suggests that the participants’ prior knowledge and experience, the ecological validity of the innovation, and their perceived capacity to integrate the resource into their practice, all affect their assessment of a CG-informed innovation, with the latter being the most likely to impede application. The study sheds light on how pre-service teachers’ beliefs impact the adoption of innovative pedagogical methods for teaching grammar and suggests ways to make CG more accessible to practitioners.

Using a Semantic-Web Based Program for Developing Pre-Service English Language Teachers’ Teaching Competencies

Using a Semantic-Web Based Program for Developing Pre-Service English Language Teachers’ Teaching Competencies

PRE-SERVICE EFL TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS TEACHING ENGLISH IN METAVERSE

Recently, the studies on teaching English via virtual technologies have been increasing; however, to the author’s knowledge studies in the existing literature concerning the metaverse are still not at a desirable level. Thus, the aim of the study is to investigate the pre-service teachers’ views on incorporating metaverse into English language teaching. To accomplish this aim, 13 pre-service English language teachers are interviewed employing a focus group discussion. Purposive sampling is adopted to select the participants. The data gathered through the focus group discussion are analyzed using the content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that there were both positive and negative views of participants considering the incorporation of metaverse into English language teaching. Also, it was found that participants expressed some concerns about employing metaverse in teaching in Turkey for several reasons. In addition, most of the students advocated a balanced integration for applying the metaverse in their future teaching concepts, while some were opposed to it. In conclusion, this study can provide an up-to-date and comprehensive perspective on the issue of integrating metaverse in the field of English language teaching as well as offering insights, suggestions, and recommendations for future research.

印尼實習焦慮與英語實習教師之培訓:借鑑COVID-19大流行時的經驗

AbstractThe existing literature on practicum anxiety seldom scrutinises the preservice teachers’ experiences to uncover potential links between the sources of these anxieties and the conceptual frameworks they bring into their practicum journeys. This qualitative study interviewed five first-year preservice English language teachers in Indonesia amid COVID-19 lockdowns, exploring sources of their anxiety and coping strategies. The analysis revealed that, while their coping strategies align with those documented in prior international research, it also yielded novel insights. The preservice teachers in the study lacked conceptual frameworks to aid in translating the national ELT curriculum objectives into practice, did not mention utilising relevant professional literature for additional guidance, and appeared unfamiliar with the school culture at their practicum locations. Arguably, these factors are crucial for fostering a sense of ease during the practicum. Although the scope of this study is limited, its findings highlight the significance of this analysis and stress the necessity for more extensive investigations to gain a fuller understanding of the preservice practicum experience.

Relocating assessment in pre-service teacher education: an emerging model from activity theory lens

ABSTRACT This empirical study aims to understand the assessment pedagogies used to support pre-service teachers’ assessment development in the post-pandemic. The study involved sixty 4th year English language pre-service teachers, and data were collected from interviews, practicum observation notes, field visit notes, and reflection papers. The study aimed to identify research-based pedagogical constructs that effectively contributed to pre-service teachers’ learning and practice of assessment in the practicum. Using an activity theory lens, the study developed a model that could be used in pre-service teacher assessment education across different contexts. The paper concludes by suggesting research and practice-oriented implementations for pre-service teacher education based on the identified pedagogical constructs. Also, it has important implications for developing effective assessment education for pre-service teachers, which can contribute to better student learning outcomes in the future.

Raising pre-service English language teachers’ awareness of sustainable development goals through literary texts

PurposeThis study aims to examine the outcome of an online project to inform preservice English language teachers regarding the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Design/methodology/approachA qualitative research method was used to understand participants’ overall knowledge. In total, 30 preservice teachers were selected from a larger pool after considering their grade point averages, sex, university affiliations and geographical backgrounds to ensure a balanced distribution and diversity. Qualitative data were collected through written productions, video recordings and a postproject survey.FindingsFindings revealed that preservice teachers deepened their understanding of SDGs and adopted a positive attitude toward SDGs while increasing their pedagogical awareness and knowledge of teaching English in response to SDGs. They also regarded literary texts as a valuable resource for teaching SDGs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that literary works are valuable for educating preservice teachers on integrating SDGs. A detailed overview of the project and its outcomes can guide practitioners and teacher educators in integrating SDGs into their education programs and English language teaching.

Forming pre-service English language teachers’ competence in critical reading through authentic short stories

The article is devoted to the problem of developing critical reading competence and critical thinking skills of pre-service English language teachers by means of interactive teaching on the material of authentic short stories. The phenomenon of critical thinking is considered thoroughly, its definition is given, and its features are described. Critical thinking is defined as the process of using cognitive techniques and strategies with the purpose of skilful and active understanding and evaluation of observations, communication, information, and argumentation that increase the probability of obtaining the desired final result. The critical thinking skills are outlined, as well as the stages of their formation in correlation with the stages of interactive foreign language teaching. The definitions of critical reading and critical reading competence are worked out. It is established that critical reading is a process of reading which presupposes the use of reflection with the purpose of content evaluation and reasonable judgments in relation to it. Critical reading competence is defined as a person’s ability to read authentic texts of various genres with full understanding, analysis, and evaluation of their content; which is based on relevant abilities, skills, knowledge, and communication skills, in order to respond intelligently and adequately to what is read. The potential of using authentic short stories to develop critical reading competence of pre-service English language teachers has been explored. The difficulties of forming critical reading competence on the material of authentic short stories are considered. The methodology of teaching critical reading on the material of authentic short stories to pre-service English language teachers is suggested: the stages of developing critical reading skills are distinguished and described; the strategies and techniques of teaching critical reading on the material of authentic short stories with interactive method are presented.

Yüksek Öğretimde Yazılı Öğretmen Dönütünü Anlama Üzerine Bir Çalışma: İngilizce Öğretmen Adaylarının Düşünce, Duygu ve Performansları

This study aimed to explore pre-service English language teacher’s performance in revising their writing assignments based on written teacher feedback. Moreover, the participants’ perceptions and emotions were investigated in addition to their writing self-efficacy levels. A total of 15 pre-service teachers took part in the study. Data were collected through teacher written feedback, students’ drafts, an open-ended survey and a semi-structured interview with the participants. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis tools were employed in the study. Quantitative data analysis results revealed that the participants were more successful in revising direct teacher feedback compared to indirect teacher feedback, and there was not a positive correlation between the participants’ feedback revision success and self-efficacy levels. The results of qualitative data analysis showed that the pre-service teachers were in favor of written teacher feedback and considered it a necessity for the L2 writing class. Moreover, they opted for indirect feedback and feedback on all errors. Finally, they experienced both positive and negative emotions although negative emotions were more prevalent.

Lesson Study: Does it work for personal development of pre-service ELT teachers?

This study is intended to document Lesson Study experience of six preservice English language teachers studying at a state university in Turkey and investigates its impact on their personal development as prospective language teachers. The large volume of data collected through unstructured interviews, semi-structured interviews, learning journals, classroom observation records and focus group interview during seven-month period was subjected to thematic and categorical analysis using qualitative analysis software. The results revealed that Lesson Study intervention contributed to the personal development of the participating preservice teachers significantly in variety of aspects especially in making critical teaching judgements and ensuring adaptable teaching in the classroom. The results further indicated that Lesson Study also led to the development in creative teaching, establishment of rapport with students, self-awareness, and self-confidence of the participants.