Competencias y Aprendizaje-Servicio mediante actividad física en futuros docentes de inglés (Competences and Physical Activity -based Service-Learning of future Primary School English teachers)

Abstract


 El Aprendizaje-Servicio (ApS) es una metodología que combina las experiencias de aprendizaje pragmáticas e inclusivas, al tiempo que se satisfacen las necesidades de la sociedad. Si a ello se le suma una práctica de actividad física (AF) controlada y juegos socializadores a través de la metodología de Respuesta Física Total (en inglés Total Physical Response, TPR), la adquisición de una lengua extranjera podría resultar más efectiva y natural. El objetivo principal de este estudio es el análisis de la adquisición de las competencias que el ApS produce en el alumnado universitario de la asignatura de la mención de inglés, Didáctica de la Literatura Infantil y Juvenil, en el Grado de Primaria de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación y del Deporte de Melilla de la Universidad de Granada. A partir de las experiencias de 14 estudiantes sobre la enseñanza del inglés como Lengua Extranjera (ILE) en un programa ApS con colectivo migrante a través de TPR se observa como estas metodologías suponen un espacio pedagógico nuevo para los docentes de inglés, y a su vez, la ruptura de una enseñanza tradicional. Del mismo modo, como resultado principal se puede constatar que el ApS aplicado al proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje de la adquisición de una lengua extranjera, con la AF como instrumento, es una metodología que propicia el desarrollo de competencias académicas, profesionales y personales del alumnado universitario de la mención de Inglés del Grado de Educación Primaria.
 Abstract. Service-Learning (SL) is an educative methodology that combines student’s pragmatic and inclusive learning, and benefits community. In addition, together with supervised physical activity (PA) and Total Physical Response (TPR) group games, it could make the foreign language learning more natural and effective. The main aim of this study is to analyse the effects of SL competences on university students of Primary Education specialised in English language teaching. The participants were students of the Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, Campus of Melilla, University of Granada, and the course was Didactics of Literature for Children and Young People in a Foreign Language: English. The SL experiences of 14 students who offered services to migrants by Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) with TPR as a main tool, showed to the students a new pedagogical space and a break in traditional teaching practices. In conclusion, TPR-based SL is a useful methodology to teach English and obtain new perspective of TEFL. Moreover, PA is a tool that favours the development of academic, professional, and personal skills of university students of Primary Education specialised in English language teaching.

The Impact of Service Learning on Academic, Professional and Physical Wellbeing Competences of EFL Teacher Education Students

“…In their testimonies, the play-based methodology presented a relevant role as university students became aware of the numerous opportunities offered by this methodology for teaching a foreign language [ 42 ]. Through the use of movement games and physical activity, a better, stress-free climate is created, which improves motivation [ 2 , 43 ], and it helps minor migrants with a low level of proficiency not to feel frustrated due to their lack of understanding of the language [ 44 ].…”

“…In the field of higher education, new educational lines are beginning to emerge with the aim of responding forcefully to current social challenges. Some of these proposals include initiatives that link university education with socio-community development, physical and healthy attitudes, and social actions [ 1 , 2 ]. This fact opens the door to initiatives that can be carried out through active and experiential pedagogical models that are capable of contributing to better training of student teachers and an improvement in the quality of life of different social groups [ 2 , 3 ].…”

“…With regard to the teaching of EFL and the S-L methodology for university students, it was shown that there is an increase in knowledge regarding the contents worked on, as well as the perceived academic and professional competencies [ 2 , 5 ]. In particular, it strengthens the idea that S-L represents a valuable opportunity to reinforce curricular content and various competencies covered in EFL teaching [ 2 , 15 ]. Other authors also analysed the effect of S-L, both at academic and professional levels, on the development of EFL teacher education students [ 15 , 16 ].…”

“…Similarly, small-group intervention in EFL teaching produces the consolidation of curricular learning in a comprehensive and globalised way, specifically with active methodologies that use active programs to be near students or any group [ 20 ]. Recent studies indicated that S-L facilitates the acquisition of knowledge related to a more inclusive pedagogy in EFL teaching with the strategies they implement during interventions, especially with regard to social, healthy educative and cultural values [ 2 , 18 ].…”

“…Moreover, Ghassab-Abdollahi et al [ 26 ] emphasised the students’ low level of quality of life due to several factors, such as satisfaction with their studies [ 27 ], physical activity level [ 28 ], social relationships [ 29 ] and emotional wellbeing [ 30 ]. These factors and others have an effect on the effectiveness of teaching, especially on EFL teacher education students [ 2 ]. In addition, active experiences of EFL teacher education students with vulnerable groups through physical activity or movement games might produce an improvement in physical wellbeing because of the need for movement during the activities [ 24 ].…”