Pedagogical Practicum and Student-Teachers Discursively Conceived in an ELT Undergraduate Program

Abstract

The research study shows how pedagogical practicum is conceived, and how student-teachers are constructed as language teachers, within the discourses spoken in the initial meetings and institutional documents of pedagogical practicum in an English language teaching undergraduate program in Bogota, Colombia. The discourses were analyzed under the principles of ethnography of communication and linguistic ethnography. This study affords insights into a contributory conception of pedagogical practicum and into an institutional image and a teacher’s figure of student-teachers. Pedagogical practicum contains several academic, professional, and experiential aspects that configure this space with established (pre-) requisites, tasks, and roles for student-teachers; these aspects in turn start constructing these individuals with particular manners of must-be and must-do.

Pedagogies of Well-being: A Narrative Perspective to Explore Two English Student-Teachers’ Experiences

“…The teaching practicum (TP) is an opportunity for student-teachers to develop disciplinary self-efficacy (see, Lucero & Cortés-Ibañez, 2021;Martins et al, 2015). This view has permeated initial teacher Education programs worldwide to the extent that TP has been thought to be the space in which student-teachers learn to be language teachers (Freeman, 2002).…”

The Conception of Student-Teachers and the Pedagogical Practicum in the Colombian ELT Field

“…Secondly, the practicum is not only a process for student-teachers to develop the knowledge and teaching skills that they have acquired throughout their major (Castañeda-Trujillo & Aguirre-Hernández, 2018;Chaves-Varón, 2008;Esteban-Núñez, 2021) but also a process to gain research experience by implementing a small-scale research project (Castellanos-Jaimes, 2013;Fandiño-Parra, 2013;Ríos-Beltrán, 2018). Thirdly, the practicum is an experience to learn about how to be a teacher in real situations and contexts and from their practicum advisors' or cooperating teachers' advice (Cote-Parra, 2012;Esteve, 1998;Lucero & Cortés-Ibañez, 2021). For these three views, the practicum represents the practical knowledge generated by studentteachers because of their everyday experimentation and continuous reflection inside and outside the classroom.…”

“…Other local studies have initially shown that student-teachers seem to be embodied practitioners with knowledge, beliefs, emotions, attitudes, interests, and roles (Aguirre-Sánchez, 2014;Carvajal & Duarte-Medina, 2020;Castañeda-Trujillo & Aguirre-Hernández, 2018;Castellanos-Jaimes, 2013;Lucero & Cortés-Ibañez, 2021;Lucero & Roncancio-Castellanos, 2019;Olaya & Gómez-Rodríguez, 2013;Suárez-Flórez & Basto-Basto, 2017). Even though these studies serve as initial references to understand how student-teachers are conceived in the local ELT field, a deeper exploration of how the Colombian scholarship sees both student-teachers and the practicum within ELT undergraduate programs is necessary.…”

“…Even though these studies serve as initial references to understand how student-teachers are conceived in the local ELT field, a deeper exploration of how the Colombian scholarship sees both student-teachers and the practicum within ELT undergraduate programs is necessary. Knowing how scholars understand studentteachers and the practicum gives an idea of the kind 1 We pin the term "student-teachers" to account for the varied views of self-awareness, constructed thoughts, knowledge, values, feelings, dispositions, and behaviors that teachers-to-be may hold (Lucero & Cortés-Ibañez, 2021). This term looks to cover more aspects of the self than the term "preservice teachers" which customarily seems to focus more on student-teachers as just being trained for teaching.…”

Reconstructing a Personal Story about Being a Teacher Educator and a Researcher

“…The researchers found that the reflection levels are primarily technical and very uncritical due to the different dynamics that are handled within the teaching practicum and the degree of commitment to their own professional development. Also, Lucero and Cortés-Ibañez (2021) continued their exploration of pre-service English teachers in the teaching practicum, but this time they focused on the discursive level. They analyzed conversations in meetings and institutional documents that showed how the teaching practicum is a space in which identity as an English teacher is consolidated.…”