The goal of this small scale retrospective study is to examine the perceptions of Chinese EFL(English as a foreign language) teacher trainees of what they do and what they develop in the practicum. Research questions ...The goal of this small scale retrospective study is to examine the perceptions of Chinese EFL(English as a foreign language) teacher trainees of what they do and what they develop in the practicum. Research questions guiding this research are:(1)How much relative attention do Chinese teachers attribute to teaching EFL areas in the practicum in retrospect?(2) What activities do Chinese EFL teachers recollect doing in the practicum? and(3) What are the areas which they are aware of having developed in during the practicum? A questionnaire targeting EFL areas and general activities is employed to collect data; items contain 5-point Likert scales and three open-ended questions. Forty-eight respondents(44 female) are included in the sample. In the teaching of EFL areas, the results indicate that the participants experienced more emphasis on exam-oriented areas. The means for practicum activities show that participants highlighted learning by observation, discussion, and journals, among their various recalled activities. When evaluating development and learning opportunity in the practicum, participants reported improvements in general pedagogical knowledge, but they missed out on other aspects of teacher knowledge. The findings bring about evidence in what is effective and what is not of the practicum. It gives guidance to what could be changed for the practicum.展开更多
文摘The goal of this small scale retrospective study is to examine the perceptions of Chinese EFL(English as a foreign language) teacher trainees of what they do and what they develop in the practicum. Research questions guiding this research are:(1)How much relative attention do Chinese teachers attribute to teaching EFL areas in the practicum in retrospect?(2) What activities do Chinese EFL teachers recollect doing in the practicum? and(3) What are the areas which they are aware of having developed in during the practicum? A questionnaire targeting EFL areas and general activities is employed to collect data; items contain 5-point Likert scales and three open-ended questions. Forty-eight respondents(44 female) are included in the sample. In the teaching of EFL areas, the results indicate that the participants experienced more emphasis on exam-oriented areas. The means for practicum activities show that participants highlighted learning by observation, discussion, and journals, among their various recalled activities. When evaluating development and learning opportunity in the practicum, participants reported improvements in general pedagogical knowledge, but they missed out on other aspects of teacher knowledge. The findings bring about evidence in what is effective and what is not of the practicum. It gives guidance to what could be changed for the practicum.
