Developing Teaching Skills through the School Practicum in Turkey: A Metasynthesis Study

Abstract

Using a metasynthesis approach, this study examined general teaching skills in previous studies on school practicum. The results and suggestions from 53 qualitative primary research studies that focused on school practicum in Turkey were reviewed. Data were collected using document analysis and content analysis using the NVivo10 programme. The results revealed that existing studies on practicum processes have focused mainly on pre-service teacher problems, such as classroom management, teaching management and the transformation of theoretical knowledge to practice; however, there was significantly less discussion on the development of teaching skills. There was also a lack of focus on the development of pre-service teaching skills, mentor interactions, integration of content and pedagogical knowledge and content organization and presentation. It was concluded that these areas require more detailed research.

Overview of the challenges of Practicum Practices in English Language Teaching in Turkey: A Meta Synthesis Study on Literature between 2004 and 2019

“…Moreover, Taş and Karabay (2016) were all willing to work collaboratively for this end, then the problems would be solved, as argued by Kasapoğlu (2015). The author underlines the fact that having mentoring skills is not enough to be good mentors.…”

“…Although some of the problems identified may be limited to ELT departments, the duration of practicum, feedback exchanges of CTs and STs, school related problems, classroom management challenges, methodological and theoretical difficulties could be the frequent problem of other fields of study as well. In fact,Kasapoğlu (2015), andTaş and Karabay (2016) underline the same sort of problems encountered during the practicum process of different departments (arts and crafts education, computer education and instructional technology, German, physical education, science, elementary mathematics, pre-school, special education mental disability, elementary education, social studies, Turkish language teaching,) especially for classroom management skills and feedback practices of CTs.In 2018, the Higher Education Council issued an update on college level teacher training programs offered at faculties of education and removed school experience course with the justification that the course was not effectively conducted(YÖK, 2018). The trainees, taking part in 2018 program, will take Practice Teaching 1 at seventh semester and Practice…”

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“…Moreover, developing teaching practices is linked to the procedures for applying theoretical issues and to improving pre-service teachers before they go to school, therefore the development of teaching practices is essential to teachers and it reflects on students too. (Taş & Karabay, 2016).…”