Pre-service language teachers’ perceptions of professional learning and development resulting from Greek as a Foreign Language teaching placements

Abstract

Language teacher education research has convincingly shown that teaching placements can function as an opportunity for pre-service teachers to connect the theoretical knowledge acquired at university with actual classroom practices. Despite the extensive body of empirical research that has been generated in different foreign language education contexts, the Greek context still remains under-investigated. The purpose of the current qualitative and longitudinal study—framed within Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)—is to explore how seven pre-service language teachers of Greek as a Foreign Language (L2) reflect on their professional learning, development and growth as a result of their teaching placement at a language school in Barcelona, Spain. Their perceptions were gathered before and after their placements through questionnaires and interviews. Results showed that participants perceived their placement as crucial for their professional learning and development. They regarded reflective practices as having played a key role in their growth as teachers and professionals. The study concludes by discussing some implications for the design and development of L2 Greek teacher education programs.