Exploring Beliefs of Pre-Service Teachers toward English as an International Language. (original) (raw)
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This article reports the findings of a qualitative case study examining the knowledge base held by English language teacher candidates enrolled in two university pre-service programs in Lebanon and Canada. Through an examination of blog postings and the data collected through semi-structured interviews, eight Canadian and eleven Lebanese respondents were polled while taking courses focusing on second language teaching methodology. Based on our findings, we argue that what teacher candidates know about their field of expertise is communal, contextually bounded and uniquely rooted in their experiences within and outside their pre-service programs. Moreover, the multitude of beliefs shared by these two groups of pre-service teachers demonstrate that there is indeed a universal knowledge base associated with the teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL). However, we have also found significant differences between these fields based on specific and local contexts.
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The spread of English and concurrent increase in the number of non-native speaker to non-native speaker interactions has meant a paradigm shift in the way the English is used and is viewed. Despite the fact that the ELT profession is central to these changes, there has been relatively little debate amongst teaching professionals about the implications of this global shift in usage. Furthermore, there is still a tendency to view the native speaker as the absolute authority on language and pedagogical matters. This is a qualitative study drawing on questionnaire and interview data to investigate the extent to which teachers are aware of the above changes, and of the continued influence of 'native speakerist' thinking on ELT practice. The study will also look at how teacher identity is affected by the phenomenon of the unprecedented changes to English and its increased use as an international language.
Teaching English as an International Language (EIL) has gained significant grounds in recent years. However, the successful implementation of EIL pedagogy largely depends on teachers' attitude toward EIL. As such, exploring teachers' attitudes toward principles of EIL pedagogy is of paramount significance. To this end, researchers of the current study examined teachers' attitudes toward their new roles promoted by the principles of EIL pedagogy. Twenty in-service teachers voluntarily attended semi-structured interviews. Four major findings emerged from the content analysis of the collected qualitative data. First, teachers still considered native accent the correct model. Second, participants were not aware of their roles as promoters of intercultural competence, and culture was not a planned part of the curriculum. Third, the teachers were mostly passive consumers of commercial textbooks instead of being critical users of instructional materials. Fourth, the majority of participants were not critical users of teaching methodologies. The implications of our findings for language teacher education in the contexts of EIL are also discussed.
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In view of the paucity of evidence on teachers’ conceptions of teaching English an International Language (EIL), the present study used panel discussions to investigate the beliefs of 10 native and 10 non-native English-speaking teachers about their roles in teaching English in the EIL contexts and the perceptions of EIL. The findings revealed that some aspects of teachers’ beliefs about their roles were reshaped after panel discussions. Non-native teachers showed lower levels of self-confidence in their role in teaching EIL and underlined the superiority of native teachers. However, after panel discussions, they were able to notice their advantages in comparison with native teachers. It was also observed that both non-native and native teachers underwent a slight shift in conceptualizing what EIL is. Non-native teachers’ appraisal of native speakerism also decreased after panel discussions. These findings suggest that both native and non-native teachers hold certain beliefs about E...
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This paper is a part of an ongoing doctoral research on 'Teacher Talk in ESL Classrooms'. The idea for this was gained through the hypothesis that teachers' beliefs about English teaching may also mould their talk. The researcher intends here to analyse and comment on teachers' English teaching beliefs. It is generally accepted that teaching is greatly affected by the belief systems of its practitioners-teachers. Teachers' beliefs influence their consciousness, teaching attitude, teaching methods and teaching policies, and finally, learners' development. Horwitz (1987) also states rightly that the formation of teachers' educational beliefs in language teaching/ learning process will influence, though indirectly, on forming effective teaching methods and will bring about the improvement of learners' language learning abilities. In Indian context, there is dearth of research evaluating teachers' beliefs about English teaching. This study explores teachers' beliefs regarding teaching English to children and tries to explore whether medium of instruction makes any difference in their beliefs. It also intends to determine what similar and different beliefs might be held by in-service teachers from two different mediums. A total of 100 pre-service teachers are the subjects of this study. In order to recognize these teachers' specific beliefs in a more systematic way, a research instrument, The Questionnaire of Primary School Pre-service English Teachers' Teaching Beliefs was developed. Almost all of these pre-service teachers expected to have training regarding how to make their talk effective and relevant in classrooms.
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This study was designed to examine how pre-service teachers’ beliefs on the teaching of English as an international language in Indonesia were constructed. Fifty participants were recruited by means of convenience sampling. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire and five of them were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Many of the participants viewed English instrumentally for securing job positions imposed by globalization. This reflected on their passive tenets of studying English. In terms of NESTs, they preferred native speakers to teach speaking and pronunciation. Another finding was that L1 use was perceived as a tool for checking students’ understanding, explaining new words, and giving instructions. When asked about teaching materials, respondents preferred using materials from the inner circle countries. Most of them also agreed to including Western cultures in teaching English. These findings call for the attention of both curriculum designers and future researchers.
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The following paper presents three classroom activities used in my class. The first one is related to the introduction to varieties of English. The second one deals with the notion of the native English teacher fallacy. The last activity is about the ownership of English and the native speaker fallacy. My reflection on the activities and the students’ perception are presented below each activity.
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Despite the sheer reality of English used as a lingua franca in and outside L2 English classrooms, many teachers are still unaware of the concept of English as a lingua franca (ELF), which makes integration of ELF awareness into teacher education essential. This study presents an “ELF-aware” education model for pre-service teachers and analyses the definitions of ELF made by the pre-service teachers exposed to this model before, during and after their training and documents the ways they changed, if any. The data were collected by an open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed. According to our findings, ELF conceptualizations reveal increased awareness. Perceptions of ELF changed from a global concept to a communicative construct and ultimately to a humanistic pedagogical perspective accepting non-native users of English with their own variability. The data imply the evolving roles of the participants from (i) outsiders to ELF to (ii) EL...
Beliefs of Pre-Service Teachers about English language Teaching: Course and Practice
El presente estudio, cuyo propósito principal consistió en develar las creencias acerca de las estrategias de enseñanza del inglés por parte de los profesores en formación, exploró el origen de dichas creencias y su reconstrucción y evolución, a raíz del efecto causado en ellas por los cursos de Didácticas y Práctica Docente. Los instrumentos usados en este estudio de caso de tipo cualitativo, exploratorio y descriptivo fueron las historias de aprendizaje (language learning histories) de los participantes, entrevistas, diarios de reflexión, portafolios de enseñanza y observaciones de clase. Los resultados mostraron la evolución de las creencias de los docentes en formación a medida que avanzaron en el programa académico. De la misma manera, se develaron sus filosofías de enseñanza renovadas. Finalmente, se evidenció la forma como los participantes de este estudio percibían a sus estudiantes y a sí mismos: a los primeros, como los principales actores en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, y a sí mismos, como agentes de cambio cuyo mejoramiento permanente y crecimiento profesional estuvieron mediados por la reflexión constante. This research study, aimed to unveil pre-service teachers’ beliefs about English teaching strategies, inquired about the origin of those beliefs, and also the effect that Didactics and Teaching Practicum courses had on their reconstruction and evolution. The instruments used in this qualitative, exploratory and descriptive case study were the students’ language learning histories, interviews, students’ reflection journals, teaching portfolios and classroom observations. The findings showed the initial student-teachers’ beliefs about language teaching and learning and their transformation as they went through the teacher education program. Likewise, they showed their renewed teaching philosophies about pedagogical processes in language teaching. Finally, it was also evidenced the way they viewed their students as main actors in the process of learning, and themselves as agents of change whose improvement and professional growth was mediated by ongoing reflection. O presente estudo, cujo propósito principal foi revelar as crenças acerca das estratégias do ensino de inglês dos professores em formação, explorou a origem dessas crenças e sua reconstrução e evolução, a partir do efeito causado nelas pelas aulas de Didáticas e Prática Docente. Os instrumentos utilizados no estudo de caso de tipo qualitativo, exploratório e descritivo foram as histórias de aprendizagem (language learning histories) dos participantes, entrevistas, jornais de reflexão, portfólios de ensino e observações de aula. Os resultados revelaram a evolução das crenças dos docentes em formação no transcurso do programa académico. Igualmente, foram reveladas suas filosofias de ensino renovadas. Finalmente, evidenciou-se a percepção dos participantes desse estúdio sobre seus alunos e sobre si mesmos: os primeiros, como os principais atores no processo de ensino-aprendizagem e, de si mesmos, como agentes de cambio cujo desenvolvimento permanente e crescimento professional estiveram mediados pela reflexão constante.