Pre-service EFL Teacher Cognition: Learning to Teach English through Authentic Materials

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to investigate how pre-service EFL teachers construct their knowledge and understanding while learning to teach through the use of authentic materials over a 5-week training program. The methodology involved a case study design with one Tanzanian and three Turkish pre-service EFL teachers at Department of English Language Teaching (ELT) of a private university in the northwest of Turkey. Drawing on qualitative research, the study utilized various data sources including focus group interviews, reflection papers, in-class discussions, diaries, and observation notes. The analysis revealed four major themes that appear to have an influence on the participants’ construction of knowledge and understanding in learning to teach English through authentic materials: the role of micro-teaching, the role of training, L2 learning experiences, and access to real life. The study demonstrated that the process of pre-service teachers’ cognition of learning to teach through authentic materials is complex and several factors are in order.

Keywords

• Pre-service teachers,language teacher cognition,learning to teach,authentic materials,EFL

Hizmet Öncesi İngilizce Öğretmenlerinin Bilişselliği: Gerçek Materyallerle İngilizce Öğretmeyi Öğrenme

Öz

Bu çalışmanın ana amacı hizmet öncesi İngilizce öğretmenlerinin 5 haftalık bir eğitim süresince gerçek materyalleri kullanarak İngilizce öğretmeyi öğrenirkenki bilgi ve anlayışlarını nasıl oluşturduğunu incelemektir. Çalışma, Türkiye’nin kuzeybatısında özel bir üniversitede İngilizce Öğretmenliği bölümünde okuyan 1 Tanzanyalı ve 3 Türk hizmet öncesi İngilizce öğretmeni ile yapılan bir vaka çalışmasıdır. Nitel veriler; hedef grup görüşmeleri, dönem sonu yansıtma kâğıtları, sınıf içi tartışmalar, günlükler ve gözlem notları ile toplanmıştır. Analizimiz hizmet öncesi İngilizce öğretmenlerinin gerçek materyalleri kullanarak İngilizce öğretmeyi öğrenirkenki bilgi ve anlayışlarını oluşturmada etkisi olduğu görünen dört temel unsur ortaya çıkarmıştır: küçük ölçekli öğretimin rolü, verilen eğitimin rolü, ikinci dil öğrenme deneyimi ve gerçek hayat ile ilişkilendirme. Çalışma, hizmet öncesi öğretmenlerinin gerçek materyalleri kullanarak İngilizce öğretmeyi öğrenirkenki bilişsellik sürecinin karmaşık olduğunu ve birçok faktörün etkili olduğunu göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Hizmet öncesi öğretmenler,dil öğretmenlerinin bilişselliği,öğretmeyi öğrenme,gerçek materyaller,yabancı dil olarak İngilizce

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