‘We acted like ELLs’: A pedagogy of embodiment in preservice teacher education

Abstract

Many US K-12 teachers in ethnolinguistically homogenous, rural areas are not adequately prepared to meet the needs of their English language learner (ELL) students. Such educators often lack conceptual understanding of language pedagogy and affective investment in ELLs. The field of language teacher education (LTE) needs research on how to better prepare these teachers to serve ELLs. The teacher educator and lead researcher in this article responded to this need, implementing an LTE pedagogy of embodiment for preservice K-12 teacher-learners. Embodiment refers to ways in which a concept or feeling, related to language pedagogy in this case, is made physically or emotionally tangible. Participants – undergraduates in a TESOL survey course – took part in an embodied ELL lesson, which was rich in tasks that the teacher educator had developed years earlier for her own language learner students. In the context of the university teacher education classroom, teacher-learners participated in this authentic ELL lesson. Data include LTE classroom discourse, focus groups, written reflections, and background questionnaires. Findings reveal that two language learning tasks from the embodied lesson especially enabled teacher-learners’ language pedagogy concept learning. Namely, in a timed reading and video enactment, teacher-learners experienced and reflected on language pedagogy concepts related to task sequencing, collaborative interaction, fluency development, and engagement. The participants performed two distinct roles during the embodied lesson: at some moments, they ‘acted like’ language learners while at others like reflective language educators. These teacher-learners reported increased empathy towards ELLs as a consequence of their participation in the embodied lesson. This research offers insights into LTE pedagogical practices that promote preservice K-12 educators’ learning of language pedagogy concepts and their development of empathy for ELLs. By presenting the notion of an LTE pedagogy of embodiment, we contribute to sociocultural frameworks of learning.

Selecting Picture Books for EL beginners in Panama: Tellability

“…In relation to receiving help, any type of ideas, suggestions, etc. that could be given to better improve my plans/teaching would be well taken and hoped for.” These findings are in keeping with research on the benefits of preservice teachers embodying the learning experience (Guerrettaz et al., 2020) and of experiential instructional approaches (Kelly, 2018).…”

“…Field placements and personal experiences as language learners are highly effective in developing preservice teachers' conceptions about teaching ELs compared to traditional teacher education classrooms (Kelly, 2018;Guerrettaz et al, 2020). The preservice teachers were exposed to both in ways that provided the knowledge of practices and principles in TESOL (Graves et al, 2013).…”

English as a Second Language and English as a Foreign Language Preservice Teacher Cognitions: Research Insights from around the World (2005-2021)

“…ESL/EFL preservice teachers often start their teaching education coursework with a naïve understanding of teaching and learning. However, it is important to note that the studies reviewed in this paper revealed a significant effect of teacher education coursework and academic preparation on developing preservice teachers' cognitions (Albaba, 2017;Amory;2020, Burri, 2015Buss, 2017;Çimen & Daloğlu, 2019;Da Silva, 2005;Guerrettaz et al, 2020;Šipošová, 2021;Tang, Lee & Chun, 2012;Wong, 2010). Of great significance here is what AlBaba (2017) revealed regarding the long-term impact of teacher education coursework on EFL preservice teachers.…”

A systematic review of research on pre-service TESOL teachers’ emotions

“…In one portion of his study, Eren (2016) investigated the relationship between pre-service teachers' boredom, coping strategies for boredom and emotional engagement for the purpose of answering whether boredom coping strategies can decrease boredom and increase pre-service teachers' emotional engagement during class hours. In their qualitative study, one of the purposes of Guerrettaz et al (2020) was to develop pre-service teachers' understanding of affective investment in English language learners. With this in mind, the researchers further investigated the effects of embodied classroom activities on pre-service teachers' empathy development for language learners.…”