Merav Badash - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Merav Badash
Language Learning Journal, Sep 16, 2019
Issues of teacher quality and effectivity inform teacher education, policy, practice and research... more Issues of teacher quality and effectivity inform teacher education, policy, practice and research and are connected with teacher resilience and retention. (Mansfield, C.F., S. Beltman, A. Price and A. McConney. 2012. "Don't sweat the small stuff:" Understanding teacher resilience at the chalkface. Teaching and Teacher Education 28, no. 3: 357-367). Effective teachers are strongly associated with resilient teachers, those who possess particular personality traits and maintain their commitment to the job despite the challenges they face (Gu, Q. and C Day. 2007. Teachers resilience: A necessary condition for effectiveness. Teaching and Teacher Education 23, no. 8: 1302-1316). This paper examines teachers' views on the propensities of effective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and on the factors that contributed to their teacher preparation. Data was collected using a self-report online survey from 167 early career English teachers and in-depth interviews with a sample of six teachers. Results point at personal 'soft factors' such as motivation, enthusiasm and selfconfidence coupled with school support, team work and shared teaching practices, seen as most cardinal in English teachers' effectivity and resilience. Programmes nurturing emotional management, self-awareness and ways of improving self-regulation are suggested both in pre-service preparation programmes and in-service professional development, in order to sustain teacher motivation and commitment.
Educational practice and theory, May 1, 2023
The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through ... more The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through three theoretical lenses: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development, to identify the different environments within school culture that play a role in SCTs perceptions of their socialisation, Lave and Wenger’s theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation and Bridge’s Transition Model (Bridges, 1991; Bridges & Mitchell, 2000) to characterize the modes of transition teachers face. This is likely to guide school administrators to view SCTs as a unique group of teachers whose starting point is different from the other novice teachers, due to the knowledge capital they bring with them to the socialisation process. It is argued that school management need to be aware of the fragile ‘transition’ phase of the novice SCTs. For some teachers who lack the agency to take initiatives and act proactively, this might be a trying phase of sink or swim. In schools where the interpersonal relationships within the ecological culture of the school were supportive, teachers felt more confident to socialise, while in schools where teachers felt lonely and ‘forsaken to manage on their own’, their self-image was vulnerable. Schools should provide opportunities for the teachers to manage the transition effectively by creating a cooperative environment within the school and establishing organisational practices.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, May 1, 2021
Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students' perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in frame of reference.
Teaching and Teacher Education, Feb 1, 2018
h i g h l i g h t s Insufficient integration of EFL teacher education providers with schools. EFL... more h i g h l i g h t s Insufficient integration of EFL teacher education providers with schools. EFL teachers feel unprepared for the job. Enthusiasm, high self-esteem and satisfaction are important for ensuring retention. Classroom management issues act as catalyst for either retention or attrition. Support from management is cardinal in the decision to stay or leave teaching.
World Journal of English Language, Mar 30, 2020
This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and decl... more This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar within a communicative language teaching (CLT) framework. Participants included 221 EFL teachers, who were teaching during the years 2013-2018 in different grades and schools throughout Israel. Participants were graduates of teacher training programs in colleges and universities and included Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST). An on-line, self-report survey designed specifically for this study contained three closed questions and two open-ended questions. One-way ANOVA statistics, and mean scores of all the responses were performed on the quantitative data. Qualitative data were grouped, analyzed, and coded. Results show a discrepancy between EFL teachers' perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar in classrooms. Results further reveal significant differences between NEST and NNEST teachers, as well as differences between teachers who teach in different grades (elementary school, junior high school and high school). Moreover, 'vocabulary' and 'speaking' were ranked of highest importance (58% and 55%, respectively), whereas 'writing' and 'grammar' were considered least important (24%). These findings have valuable implications for teachers and teacher education regarding teaching grammar in context and using contextualized activities.
Educational Practice and Theory
The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through ... more The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through three theoretical lenses: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development, to identify the different environments within school culture that play a role in SCTs perceptions of their socialisation, Lave and Wenger’s theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation and Bridge’s Transition Model (Bridges, 1991; Bridges & Mitchell, 2000) to characterize the modes of transition teachers face. This is likely to guide school administrators to view SCTs as a unique group of teachers whose starting point is different from the other novice teachers, due to the knowledge capital they bring with them to the socialisation process. It is argued that school management need to be aware of the fragile ‘transition’ phase of the novice SCTs. For some teachers who lack the agency to take initiatives and act proactively, this might be a trying phase of sink or swim. In schools where the interpersonal...
Teachers’ shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers’ shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students’ perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in fr...
World Journal of English Language, Mar 30, 2020
This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and decl... more This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar within a communicative language teaching (CLT) framework. Participants included 221 EFL teachers, who were teaching during the years 2013-2018 in different grades and schools throughout Israel. Participants were graduates of teacher training programs in colleges and universities and included Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST). An on-line, self-report survey designed specifically for this study contained three closed questions and two open-ended questions. One-way ANOVA statistics, and mean scores of all the responses were performed on the quantitative data. Qualitative data were grouped, analyzed, and coded. Results show a discrepancy between EFL teachers' perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar in classrooms. Results further reveal significant differences between NEST and NNEST teachers, as well as differences between teachers who teach in different grades (elementary school, junior high school and high school). Moreover, 'vocabulary' and 'speaking' were ranked of highest importance (58% and 55%, respectively), whereas 'writing' and 'grammar' were considered least important (24%). These findings have valuable implications for teachers and teacher education regarding teaching grammar in context and using contextualized activities.
Learning transformation experiences of preservice second career teachers
Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students' perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in frame of reference.
Text & Talk
This study investigates the linguistic patterning that created shifts in the topic of spontaneous... more This study investigates the linguistic patterning that created shifts in the topic of spontaneous interactions of speakers with schizophrenia. The psychiatric category of disorganized speech in schizophrenia may be manifested in language across (derailment) or within (incoherence) clauses through unexpected topic shifts. Topic switching was examined for cohesion and thematic structures, within the framework of systemic functional linguistics (SFL). Three patients diagnosed with schizophrenia conversed individually with a psychiatrist who elicited information on various topics, e.g., background information, hobbies, etc. The interviews were videotaped, and audio-recorded. The recordings were transcribed by the researcher and divided into clauses, which were analyzed and coded for consistency of field, cohesion and thematic structures. The findings revealed that speakers did not make use of linguistic features simultaneously to initiate topics. Topic shifts were marked by moving field...
Teaching and Teacher Education
The Language Learning Journal
Language Learning Journal, Sep 16, 2019
Issues of teacher quality and effectivity inform teacher education, policy, practice and research... more Issues of teacher quality and effectivity inform teacher education, policy, practice and research and are connected with teacher resilience and retention. (Mansfield, C.F., S. Beltman, A. Price and A. McConney. 2012. "Don't sweat the small stuff:" Understanding teacher resilience at the chalkface. Teaching and Teacher Education 28, no. 3: 357-367). Effective teachers are strongly associated with resilient teachers, those who possess particular personality traits and maintain their commitment to the job despite the challenges they face (Gu, Q. and C Day. 2007. Teachers resilience: A necessary condition for effectiveness. Teaching and Teacher Education 23, no. 8: 1302-1316). This paper examines teachers' views on the propensities of effective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers and on the factors that contributed to their teacher preparation. Data was collected using a self-report online survey from 167 early career English teachers and in-depth interviews with a sample of six teachers. Results point at personal 'soft factors' such as motivation, enthusiasm and selfconfidence coupled with school support, team work and shared teaching practices, seen as most cardinal in English teachers' effectivity and resilience. Programmes nurturing emotional management, self-awareness and ways of improving self-regulation are suggested both in pre-service preparation programmes and in-service professional development, in order to sustain teacher motivation and commitment.
Educational practice and theory, May 1, 2023
The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through ... more The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through three theoretical lenses: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development, to identify the different environments within school culture that play a role in SCTs perceptions of their socialisation, Lave and Wenger’s theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation and Bridge’s Transition Model (Bridges, 1991; Bridges & Mitchell, 2000) to characterize the modes of transition teachers face. This is likely to guide school administrators to view SCTs as a unique group of teachers whose starting point is different from the other novice teachers, due to the knowledge capital they bring with them to the socialisation process. It is argued that school management need to be aware of the fragile ‘transition’ phase of the novice SCTs. For some teachers who lack the agency to take initiatives and act proactively, this might be a trying phase of sink or swim. In schools where the interpersonal relationships within the ecological culture of the school were supportive, teachers felt more confident to socialise, while in schools where teachers felt lonely and ‘forsaken to manage on their own’, their self-image was vulnerable. Schools should provide opportunities for the teachers to manage the transition effectively by creating a cooperative environment within the school and establishing organisational practices.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, May 1, 2021
Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students' perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in frame of reference.
Teaching and Teacher Education, Feb 1, 2018
h i g h l i g h t s Insufficient integration of EFL teacher education providers with schools. EFL... more h i g h l i g h t s Insufficient integration of EFL teacher education providers with schools. EFL teachers feel unprepared for the job. Enthusiasm, high self-esteem and satisfaction are important for ensuring retention. Classroom management issues act as catalyst for either retention or attrition. Support from management is cardinal in the decision to stay or leave teaching.
World Journal of English Language, Mar 30, 2020
This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and decl... more This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar within a communicative language teaching (CLT) framework. Participants included 221 EFL teachers, who were teaching during the years 2013-2018 in different grades and schools throughout Israel. Participants were graduates of teacher training programs in colleges and universities and included Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST). An on-line, self-report survey designed specifically for this study contained three closed questions and two open-ended questions. One-way ANOVA statistics, and mean scores of all the responses were performed on the quantitative data. Qualitative data were grouped, analyzed, and coded. Results show a discrepancy between EFL teachers' perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar in classrooms. Results further reveal significant differences between NEST and NNEST teachers, as well as differences between teachers who teach in different grades (elementary school, junior high school and high school). Moreover, 'vocabulary' and 'speaking' were ranked of highest importance (58% and 55%, respectively), whereas 'writing' and 'grammar' were considered least important (24%). These findings have valuable implications for teachers and teacher education regarding teaching grammar in context and using contextualized activities.
Educational Practice and Theory
The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through ... more The article examines the second career teachers (SCTs) socialisation into school culture through three theoretical lenses: Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework of human development, to identify the different environments within school culture that play a role in SCTs perceptions of their socialisation, Lave and Wenger’s theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation and Bridge’s Transition Model (Bridges, 1991; Bridges & Mitchell, 2000) to characterize the modes of transition teachers face. This is likely to guide school administrators to view SCTs as a unique group of teachers whose starting point is different from the other novice teachers, due to the knowledge capital they bring with them to the socialisation process. It is argued that school management need to be aware of the fragile ‘transition’ phase of the novice SCTs. For some teachers who lack the agency to take initiatives and act proactively, this might be a trying phase of sink or swim. In schools where the interpersonal...
Teachers’ shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers’ shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students’ perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in fr...
World Journal of English Language, Mar 30, 2020
This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and decl... more This study investigated English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' beliefs, perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar within a communicative language teaching (CLT) framework. Participants included 221 EFL teachers, who were teaching during the years 2013-2018 in different grades and schools throughout Israel. Participants were graduates of teacher training programs in colleges and universities and included Non-Native English Speaking Teachers (NNEST) and Native English Speaking Teachers (NEST). An on-line, self-report survey designed specifically for this study contained three closed questions and two open-ended questions. One-way ANOVA statistics, and mean scores of all the responses were performed on the quantitative data. Qualitative data were grouped, analyzed, and coded. Results show a discrepancy between EFL teachers' perceptions and declared practices of teaching grammar in classrooms. Results further reveal significant differences between NEST and NNEST teachers, as well as differences between teachers who teach in different grades (elementary school, junior high school and high school). Moreover, 'vocabulary' and 'speaking' were ranked of highest importance (58% and 55%, respectively), whereas 'writing' and 'grammar' were considered least important (24%). These findings have valuable implications for teachers and teacher education regarding teaching grammar in context and using contextualized activities.
Learning transformation experiences of preservice second career teachers
Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutio... more Teachers' shortage has become a critical issue in most countries in the world. One of the solutions has been the initiation of short-term teacher education programmes which attract adult career changers who enter the programme with prior working experiences and world knowledge. However, the process of transferring previous knowledge is challenging and teachers need to navigate new horizons. The aim of the study is to identify shifts in students' perceptions regarding the teaching profession, and what experiences prompted the shifts. The research was conducted among 15 students in a teacher education college in Israel. The analysis of interviews exposed five main themes where students displayed shifts of perceptions. The themes relate directly to the two interrelated key concepts of second career teachers and transformative learning. The synergy between the two concepts created tension, dilemmas and dissonances which generated spaces for learning and fertile ground for shifting in frame of reference.
Text & Talk
This study investigates the linguistic patterning that created shifts in the topic of spontaneous... more This study investigates the linguistic patterning that created shifts in the topic of spontaneous interactions of speakers with schizophrenia. The psychiatric category of disorganized speech in schizophrenia may be manifested in language across (derailment) or within (incoherence) clauses through unexpected topic shifts. Topic switching was examined for cohesion and thematic structures, within the framework of systemic functional linguistics (SFL). Three patients diagnosed with schizophrenia conversed individually with a psychiatrist who elicited information on various topics, e.g., background information, hobbies, etc. The interviews were videotaped, and audio-recorded. The recordings were transcribed by the researcher and divided into clauses, which were analyzed and coded for consistency of field, cohesion and thematic structures. The findings revealed that speakers did not make use of linguistic features simultaneously to initiate topics. Topic shifts were marked by moving field...
Teaching and Teacher Education
The Language Learning Journal