Learning To Become An English Language Teacher: Navigating The Self Through Peer Practicum

Abstract

Pre-service English language teachers' school practicum is key to their learning to become a teacher. However, a number of challenges are observed in its implementation. This paper addresses this issue by investigating how engaging in practicum as peers can function as mentoring support and how this process can influence their selves. A cohort of 16 senior pre-service English teachers was invited to participate in the study from a state university in the west of Turkey. We collected qualitative data through dialogic verbal records and post-practicum interviews. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The results show that pre-service teachers provided for each other different forms of sustained psychosocial support in discovering knowledge about teaching and developing a sense of self as a teacher through dialogic interaction with peers. The paper discusses the implications of peer practicum for reconstructing practicum models already in practice in the research context and beyond.

La práctica docente en línea del futuro profesor de inglés y la relación humana vivida

“…In the beginning, they have some pre-conceptions about teaching that they confirm or discard. Finally, pre-service teachers provide emotional support and mutual motivation to each other (Comoglu and Dikilitas, 2020). The issues briefly narrated above correspond to face-to-face classes.…”

A Thematic Analysis of Action Research in Initial Teacher Education: Reflections and Future Directions

“…Partnerships among PSTs, mentor teachers, and teacher educators in AR studies have been advocated by many scholars (Hagevik et al, 2012) but research has shown that collaboration can be undermined by weak communication between different stakeholders (e.g., Burbank & Kauchak, 2003;Çomoglu & Dikilitaş, 2020;Darwin & Barahona, 2019;Jakhelln & Pörn, 2019;Ulvik, 2014;Ulvik & Riese, 2016). For example, to better understand the challenges of supporting and assessing PSTs' AR projects in the context of university-school collaboration, Jakhelln and Pörn (2019) examined the experiences of ten PSTs and found that teacher educators and practicum teachers tended not to contact each other, i.e., they avoided boundary crossings.…”

Language teacher professional education:

“…To exemplify, Hendry et al (2021) report that their study with teachers conducting peer-observation demonstrates that this activity enhances their practice. Moreover, Comoglu and Dikilitas (2020) highlight the role of verbally recorded reflections on developing mutual motivation, deepening ideas, and providing mutual support in Peer Practicum.…”