Distance pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of their pedagogical courses in

preparing them for their practicum

By Asst. Prof. Belgin AYDINAnadolu University TURKEY

baydin@anadolu.edu.tr

Organization Introduction Expectations for teachers Teacher Education Programs The perspectives of preservice teachers Aim of the study Aims of the courses Methodology Subjects Instrument Results and Discussion Pedagogical Implications

The Debates on Teacher Education

Programs

They often fail to give the pre-service teachers the tools they need to develop a sustainable practice

They include difficulties in helping pre-service teachers in carrying out the theoretical knowledge into the practical classroom contexts.

They require too many unnecessary beurocratic regulations and discourage trainees to do this profession.

The importance of pre-service teachers’

perceptions

they reveal multidimensional aspects of teaching when carefully designed,

their evaluations of instruction are valid and reliable,

their feelings of preparedness are an important indicator of their motivation and success

Aim of the study

Getting the pre-service teachers’ perspectives of the effectiveness of the pedagogical courses in preparing them for the actual practicum process in the curriculum renewal process.

Pedagogical Courses

School Experience (1st year) ELT Methodology (3rd year) Approaches in ELT (3rd year) Teaching English to Young

Learners (3rd year) Skills Teaching (4th year) Practicum (4th year)

School Experience

To provide students with the opportunity to explore the field of teaching by making observations on various aspects and gain knowledge and awareness related to school issues.

English Language Teaching Methodology

To have the students gain some insights into ELT classroom practice and to inform them on the issues of current concerns such as;

roles and responsibilities of teachers and students,

designing curricula, planning classroom procedures, developing teaching materials, managing interactive learning, assessing

Approaches in ELTTo inform students about many different language teaching methods and shed light on actions and thoughts, namely, principles that are used in language classrooms.

Grammar Translation Method, Direct method, Silent way, Suggestepodia, Total Physical Response, Communicative Language Teaching, Task based approach, Cooperative Language Teaching

Teaching English to Young Learners

To make students aware of the basic terminology, provide knowledge and background information about children between the ages of 5-11 considering their physical, psychological, emotional and cognivite characteristics.

Skills TeachingTo engage teacher trainees in a process of continual professional development. In this respect, the course offers guidance on how the teacher trainees explore principles related to language areas, like vocabulary, grammar, and language skills, like listening, speaking, etc. Further, the students are guided in the application of different techniques in the light of this background knowledge. The students are also encouraged to experiment with different techniques in their teaching.

Practicum

Micro Teaching Macro Teaching

Subjects

900 forth year preservice teachers attending a Distance English Language Teacher Training (DELT) program

Instrument

A questionnaire which courses you took were

effective in preparing you for the actual classroom during your practicum process?

on which aspects of teaching these courses were more effective in the real classroom?

RESULTS

1. Which courses students took in their 3rd and 4th year education were effective in preparing them for the actual classroom during their practicum process ?

(5)very helpful (1)not helpful at all

School Experience ELT Methodology Approaches in ELT Teaching English to Young Learners Skills Teaching Practicum

School Experience

17.2

37.3

28.5

9.3

4.9

2.8

C1

ELT Methodology

20.8

43.8

24.8

5.9

1.5

3.3

C2

Approaches in ELT

26,0

41,5

20,7

6,61,53,6

C3

Teaching English to Young Learners

24,6

37,2

20,9

7,7

4,6

4,8

C4

Skills Teaching

12,2

19,8

26,7

19,8

19,4

,2,1

C5

Practicum

47,2

36,0

10,9

2,8

2,3

,0.7

C6

Prac

ticum

Appr

oach

es in

ELT

Met

hodo

logy

TEYL

Scho

ol E

xper

ienc

e I

Skills

Tea

chin

g

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Table 1. Usefulness of the Courses

2. On which aspects of teaching these courses were more effective in the

real classroom ? interaction with the students motivating students involving students to the class activities nominating students dealing with problematic students lesson preperation using various teaching techniques using the board efficiently managing their time dealing with noise using classroom language efficiently making necessary decisions during teaching cooperation with mentor teachers

Less

on P

repe

ratio

n

Nom

inat

ing

Ss

Inte

ract

ion

with

Ss

Invo

lvin

g S

s

Tim

e M

anag

emen

t

Coo

pera

tion

with

Men

tors

Cla

ssro

om L

angu

age

Boa

rd U

se

Usi

ng T

echn

ique

s

Mot

ivat

ing

Ss

Dec

isio

n M

akin

g

Dea

ling

with

Noi

se

Dea

ling

Pro

blem

atic

Ss

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Table 2. Effects on the Fields

IMPLICATIONS

Raising pre-service teachers’ consciousness Providing more guidance for the distance

education students Encouraging the alternative ways of

planning Encouraging “unplanned” teaching Including cases into class discussions Use of videotaping