This article presents the findings of an impact study of a short teacher training course in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Impact is conceptualised as teacher learning, particularly perceived achievements in learning, evidenced in the ways teachers talk about their work in TESOL. The theoretical framework for the research draws on sociocultural theories of learning, particularly situated learning theory and identity formation within communities of practice. In making these links and relating them to a specific programme for teachers in TESOL, this article furthers understanding of how teachers learn in a preservice course in ways which translate to readiness for work. The analysis of interview data from 27 novice teachers in their first months at work reflects a positive and intense learning experience on the course, which establishes both confidence and a clear idea of what the TESOL task involves. The authors relate these findings in the data to the construct of furnished imagination: the combination of knowledge, procedural awareness and skills, dispositions, and identity which the teachers take from the course as the conceptual toolkit for work in TESOL. The imagination is furnished through the intense, iterated cycles of input, observation, performance, and feedback as well as through interactions with admired teacher educators.
A s Johnson (2009b) observes, teacher education in teaching Englishto speakers of other languages (TESOL) has been for much of its history a field of practice rather than one of research. One implication of this is that knowledge building has been through practice, rather than through conventional research findings. In teacher education,
At some UK universities, non-credit bearing courses for the general public are offered in a wide range of languages, often taught by hourly paid staff. Ensuring similar, high quality learning experiences and learning outcomes across languages can be a challenge. This study inquired into the viability and value of a consciousness raising approach, i.e. whether teachers would be able and likely to implement it, and whether students would engage with such tasks and find them useful. The study included students and teachers engaged in the learning/teaching of Arabic, French, Italian, and Spanish. Following some input about Language Awareness pedagogic principles, and with some mentoring by the researchers, the teachers designed their own consciousness raising grammar tasks with accompanying communicative output opportunities and implemented them in their classes. To respond to our research questions, this paper draws on semi-structured interviews with teachers and students. The tasks, which combined a form and meaning focus, presented rich affordances for learner engagement with language and were enjoyed by the majority of students. The teachers struggled to correctly estimate task difficulty and time needed but felt the approach had contributed to improving their teaching and that they were likely to use it in the future https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mm-la
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