Building Communities of Practice for Foreign Language Teachers

Fraga-Cañadas, Cynthia P.

doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.2011.01183.x

Cited by 15 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…They also pointed that when teachers support each other, a close relationship comes into existence and that is support, support for each other, support for the community of teachers. The result also illuminated that when teachers in COP see that the other teachers have the same problem and the experienced teachers help them, they feel a sense of belonging, mutual trust, and confidence, and this, in turn, helped them to validate their professional identity and even build a stronger identity as a teacher (Goktepe & Kunt, 2021;Fraga-Cañadas, 2011;Santos & Arroio, 2013;Teng, 2020).…”

Section: Online Professional Identitymentioning

confidence: 88%

Reconstruction of Iranian English Foreign Language Teachers’ Professional Identity in Online Classes

Fallah

Chalak

Tabrizi

2021

PEC

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Because of the Covid-19 outbreak, all academic institutions all over the world swiftly shifted to reconstitute the presentation of their courses that customarily took place on campus. This study explored the kind of online professional identities that English teachers in private language institutes constructed during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Additionally, it examined possible impacts of adopting online solutions on teachers’ performance and teaching skills and their perceptions of communities of practice and their effect on their PI in online classes during this period. The study was conducted on 35 English teachers, teaching English in language institutes in Yazd, Iran. The study followed a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually and also in groups, to gain access to their lived experiences of running online classes. Results revealed four main characteristics that (re)constructed and affected teachers’ PI in online classes, namely, teachers’ role, competency and self-effectiveness, appreciation and connection, and future plans. The findings also revealed that streamlined communication and communities of practice were very beneficial in (re)constructing their changing identities in online classes. Membership in communities of practice was found to be an essential action to make teachers’ teaching skills and social learning better and share common experiences. The results showed that these aspects highly influence the teachers’ reconstruction of PI in a positive way in language institutes. Keywords: communities of practice, English as a foreign language, language institute, online professional identity, qualitative approach

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Section: Online Professional Identitymentioning

confidence: 88%

Reconstruction of Iranian English Foreign Language Teachers’ Professional Identity in Online Classes

Fallah

Chalak

Tabrizi

2021

PEC

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The challenge, however, is to develop a supportive and empathic enough environment that enables non-native language teachers to go beyond the inhibiting barrier of feeling inadequate or less competent as a teacher because of their non-native mastery of the language (Cook, 2005;Fraga-Cañadas, 2011). Having, in the target language, both a safe and trusted place to share values and knowledge about language education, and to discuss personal experiences, stories, and opinions about teaching practices can raise social capital (Daniel et al, 2003;Preece, 2004) and strengthen the community.…”

Section: Communities Of Practices For Language Teachersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing Online Language Teaching

Hampel¹,

Stickler²

2015

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“…Flowerdew borrowed Lave and Wenger's notions of peripheral participation and fuller participation to trace his participant's steps towards finally publishing his article successfully and achieving full participation. This was a seminal study in applying CoP to language writing and learning, and the concept of LPP was used in subsequent language studies (Back, 2011;Fraga-Cañadas, 2011;Samimy et al, 2011;Young & Miller, 2004).…”

Section: Empirical Studies Drawing On Communities Of Practicementioning

confidence: 99%

Learning Mandarin-as-a-Foreign Language: Communities of Practice and Translanguaging

Zhang

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Mandarin-as-a-foreign-language (MFL) courses are popular in English-medium international schools in China where international students are often bilingual or multilingual. These students may choose to communicate in more than one language. This research investigates teachers’ and students’ perceptions of language choices while teaching and learning MFL at an English-medium instruction (EMI) international school with an International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in Shanghai, China.This study combines García’s (2009) notion of translanguaging in dynamic bilingualism with Lave and Wenger’s (1991) theoretical framework of Communities of Practice (CoP) to explore the use of a common language (mainly English) in MFL learning. Both translanguaging and CoP were used to analyse how the participants engaged in the joint enterprises of teaching and learning Mandarin by utilising a common language from their linguistic repertoire. This study provides an understanding of how teachers and students negotiated their linguistic resources within their various CoPs, and how their mutual engagement and identities were reshaped by the practice of using a shared language.This is a qualitative single case study. Data were collected through notes and memos, virtual classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, stimulated-recall interviews and focus group interviews. These data were complemented by artefacts from the school including class teaching notes, teaching plans and school policy documents. Two teacher participants were purposively selected and interviewed twice, and 32 secondary school student participants participated in focus group interviews. Data were transcribed, coded and analysed across the subcases to identify themes.There are two main findings from this study. The first is that both teachers and the students chose to use a common language to mediate the students’ understanding and facilitate their foreign language learning. This contrasts with prior studies of how students’ first language and second languages work together. This study also reveals the students’ language choices as they were learning of IB concepts in the academic curriculum. IB learners are expected to develop asinternational-minded citizens and teachers are expected to strategically promote multiculturalism and multilingualism. This included a form of translanguaging that appeared to be unique to these MFL CoPs.Purposeful, strategic and flexible translanguaging was achieved by the teachers’ and students’ practice of using a common language, English, as a bridge to the target language, Mandarin. The findings indicate that the teachers planned translanguaging into their lessons and also engaged in spontaneous translanguaging during class. This intentional use of translanguaging seemed to actively engage the students in learning the new language. The translanguaging employed by teachers encouraged students to communicate in their common language, and thus offered rich opportunities for language learning. The findings suggest that the student participants prioritised making sense of what their learning over using the target language, and the common language was a mediating force that scaffolded students' comprehension and influenced their motivation to participate in lessons. The students felt that their language choices for communicating in MFL classes were respected and they were acknowledged as multilingual members of this community.This study provides insights for language teachers and educators about the positive role of including a common language in translanguaging spaces at IB international schools. This has implications for IB international schools which may adhere to a monolingual language policy in the teaching of foreign languages. It may also encourage language teachers who strive for active engagement by illustrating how creating a translanguaging space allows teachers to balance the school’s language policy and their pedagogical practices. The role of translanguaging may function differently in different contexts, but it honours students’ and teachers’ agency in their teaching and learning spaces. Translanguaging highlights the benefits of using shared elements of the participants’ linguistic repertoires, not only for developing MFL proficiency, but also for promoting class participation from beginning language learners.

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Building Communities of Practice for Foreign Language Teachers

Cited by 15 publications

References 7 publications

Reconstruction of Iranian English Foreign Language Teachers’ Professional Identity in Online Classes

Reconstruction of Iranian English Foreign Language Teachers’ Professional Identity in Online Classes

Developing Online Language Teaching

Learning Mandarin-as-a-Foreign Language: Communities of Practice and Translanguaging

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