This study investigated the degree to which TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) training in Inner-Circle English-speaking countries impacted on the autonomy in teaching practice of Vietnamese teachers of English. Using an online survey, semi-structured in-depth interviews, and classroom observations, the research explored tension faced by these teachers when attempting to exercise their autonomy after returning to their local institution, and revealed how they managed to operate within constraints. This paper has significant implications for a range of stakeholders involved in the professional development of non-Inner-Circle TESOL teachers trained in Inner Circle contexts.
This study explores the professional identity development of five nonnative-English-speaking teacher learners from different backgrounds who were studying for a master's degree in applied linguistics/TESOL at an Australian university, following the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). The study aims to address how identity work could be utilized in teacher education to enrich teacher learners' learning experience and prepare them for better developing their teacher selves. Participants attended two 1-hour storytelling sessions aimed to elicit various aspects of their experience within the teacher education program such as native/nonnative issues, transition in time and space and changes in expectations, and the learning environment. Their stories, structured and analyzed following the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework (interaction, continuity, and situation) revealed their growth, satisfaction, and tensions resulting from becoming part of the community of practice in the Australian teacher education program. This research highlights the role of conducting identity exploration interventions within the context of teacher education in assisting TESOL teachers to construct and reconstruct their professional identity. It also suggests classroom activities based on the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework to make identity work a crucial part of teacher development within teacher education courses.
Paraphrasing is an important skill in academic writing -it is a cognitive skill that requires higher order thinking and high proficiency inss both reading and writing. This research explored the paraphrasing ability of EFL learners at a tertiary institution in Vietnam and examined the challenges they face when paraphrasing. Data were collected from ten second-year English major students through (i) paraphrasing a given text and (ii) individual interviews. The findings revealed that participants frequently paraphrased using synonyms, but rarely changed syntactic structures. The interviews showed that the learners encountered several language-related difficulties when attempting to paraphrase, such as inadequate understanding of the source text and the lack of vocabulary to use when paraphrasing. This paper provides insights into EFL learners' paraphrasing abilities and suggests some implications as to what EFL teachers should focus on to help less experienced student writers improve their paraphrasing skills.
This research investigates non-native English teachers' engagement with the native speaker model, i.e. whether they agree/disagree with measuring English teaching and learning performance against native speaker standards. More importantly, it aims to unearth the impact of teacher education on teachers' attitudes and beliefs about native-speakerness. Data were gathered from an online survey delivered to 85 Vietnamese TESOL teachers who had completed one of 19 master's level TESOL programs offered overseas and in Vietnam, followed by in-depth interviews with 20 participants. Results revealed that teacher education strengthened the teachers' beliefs about the linguistic diversity of English and led them to question the native and non-native divide by providing relevant input and opportunities to engage in critical discussion on nativeness, as well as fruitful learning experience. However, language proficiency remains an area where native-speakerness still dominates, and where teacher education did not exert much influence. These findings shed light on the role of TESOL teacher training in influencing teacher beliefs about the native speaker model, and suggest that teacher education programs dedicate more space for teachers to critically explore the construct of language teacher proficiency.
This study investigates the impact of an inquiry-based teacher education course in nurturing second language (L2) teachers' research mindset, defined herein as their cognition and action toward research. One hundred and thirty pre-and in-service L2 teachers of various nationalities participated in a teacher education course on instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) at an Australian university. The course was designed following an inquiry-based approach, with course activities focused on promoting teacher learners' curiosity about ISLA issues and their engagement both with and in research. Data were collected before, during, and after course participation, using a precourse survey, written reflections, and focus group interviews. Findings revealed that the inquiry-based course activities enabled the teacher learners to adopt a stronger research mindset. They were able to articulate the importance of research for teaching practice and gained firsthand experience as well as increased confidence in conducting research. They also showed inclination toward research-informed teaching and were keen to maintain their newly established favorable relationship with research, despite acknowledging concerns about their future actual research engagement, mostly due to time constraint and lack of institutional support. These findings suggest implications for nurturing language teachers' research mindset within L2 teacher education courses.
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