Evaluating the Link between the Methodology and the Practicum Components of an Undergraduate English Language Teacher Education Program

Author(s):

Banu Cicek Basaran(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2017

Network:

10. Teacher Education Research

Format:

Paper

Session Information

10 SES 07 B, Programmes and Approaches: Implementation and evaluation

Paper Session

Time:

2017-08-23

17:15-18:45

Room:

K5.20

Chair:

José-Ignacio Rivas-Flores

Contribution

In Turkey, the language teacher programs are arranged by the Council of Higher Education (CHE) and all language teacher education programs are obliged to offer a main coursework for student teachers (CHE reports, 1998). The language teacher education programs are offered at the university level in faculties of education and these programs accept students based on the national university entrance exam results. It is noted by the literature that students from other faculties can also become English language teachers via pedagogic formation certificate (Aydoğan & Çilsal, 2007; Çepik & Çepik, 2015; Tercanlıoğlu, 2004). These programs offer five years of teacher education (1 year in intensive English preparatory school and 4 years at the program) and the main aim of these programs is to train qualified language teachers for schools of Ministry of National Education (MONE) (Seymen, 2012). The language classes offered at these schools have a nationwide curriculum and all the graduating teachers are to take the nationwide examination (KPSS) in order to start working at MONE schools. The literature suggests that the link between theory (methodology) and practice (practicum) seems to be problematic when it comes to English language teacher education (Çepik and Çepik, 2015; Çubukçu, 2010; Gürsoy, 2013; Mutlu, 2014; Seymen, 2012; and Yavuz, 2011). These studies found that the student teachers have problems in managing the real-life classrooms when they start their practicum. Furthermore, European Portfolio of Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) aims to help prepare student language teachers for their profession in a variety of teaching contexts and to promote discussion between student teachers, their peers, teacher educators and mentors (p.5). It proposes seven main categories of descriptors for teacher competencies three which can be viewed in relation to this study: methodology, conducting a lesson and lesson planning. Based on the findings of the literature, this study aims to investigate the relationship between the methodology and practicum components of an English-medium undergraduate English language teacher education program in Turkey. Within the scope of this study, the effects of six methodology courses (FLE200Instructional Principles and Methods,FLE 238 Approaches to English Language Teaching, FLE 262 ELT Methodology I, FLE 304 ELT Methodology II, FLE 308 Teaching English to Young Learners, FLE 324 Teaching Language Skills), over two practicum courses (FLE 425 School Experience and FLE 404 Practice Teaching) has been analyzed. The evaluation framework utilized in this study is Illuminative Model (Parlett and Hamilton, 1976) since the main aim of this study was to examine the link between the methodology component and the practicum component of the program. The main focus of this model is “description and interpretation rather than measurement and prediction” (p.10-11). Furthermore, this model was chosen since “it aims to discover and document what it is like to be participating in the scheme, whether as teacher or pupil” (p. 11). This study examines the issue both from the instructors’ and from the students’ points of view.

This study aims to answer the following research questions:

1. How effective is the methodology component of the undergraduate EFL program in preparing the student teachers for the practicum component?

a. What are the perceptions of the students about the effectiveness of methodology component preparing them for the practicum component?

b. What are perceptions of instructors about the effectiveness of methodology component preparing students for the practicum component?

2. What needs to be improved in order to increase the effectiveness of methodology component in preparing the students teachers for the practicum component?

Method

The design of the study was a case study since the focus in on one context and the aim was to understand this context in detail rather than making any generalizations (Stufflebeam, 2001). The evaluation framework utilized in this study was Illuminative Model (Parlett and Hamilton, 1976) which defines itself as “adaptable and eclectic” (p.17); hence, although this particular model was not offered to specifically evaluate English language teacher education programs, due its eclectic nature it was used as the evaluation framework in this study. Similarly, the model is not set of criterion to be followed; rather it is a general guideline that shapes the evaluation study (Parlett and Hamilton, 1972). Consequently, in order to examine the issue, document analysis, questionnaires and interviews were carried out. For the document analysis, the aims of these courses (as stated in the course outlines) have been studied. The program catalogue was utilized so as to view the course objectives and definitions and also to design the student questionnaire. Based on this evaluation, a questionnaire consisting of 29 questions (16 closed-ended and 13 open-ended) was administered to 18 fourth year pre-service teachers. The first part of the questionnaire consisted ten questions about the participants personal background information and the second part of the questionnaire consisted 19 questions investigating the effectiveness of six methodology courses in preparing pre-service EFL teachers for their practicum courses. There were 3 questions for each of the six methodology courses (the effectivness of the course, effectiveness of course components (lectures, assigned readings, reports/reflections, hands-on activities, group discussions, micro-teaching, feedback sessions, presentations) and how to improve the course), and one final question for further comments of the participants. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were held with five department instructors (74 minutes) and three voluntary fourth year students (38 minutes) about the link between the methodology and the practicum component of the program for further analysis. Since the study was designed as a case study, data analysis procedures were carried out accordingly. For the analysis, interviews were transcribed and then coded by utilizing open and axial coding (Cresswell, 2012). Same coding procedure was followed for the analysis of open-ended questions in the questionnaire. Frequency analysis was utilized for the rest of the questionnaire data.

Expected Outcomes

This study investigated the link between methodology component and the practicum component of an undergraduate 4-year English language teaching program. The first research question was related with the effectiveness of methodology compenent of the program in preparing pre-service EFL teachers for the practicum. The results indicated that the methodology component was somewhat effective in preparing students for the practicum component. While three out of six methodology courses were perceived as the most effective ones of the program in terms of helping student teachers in their practicum courses, the other half were not as effective. Similarly, since the methodology courses lack a practice component where the student teachers could have more chances of practicing and improving their teaching skills, both the student teachers and the instructors evaluate the link between methodology and practicum components somewhat weak, which can be linked to EPOSTL framework. The second research question of this evaluation study was related with improving the methodology courses. The results revealed that both the instructors and the student teachers would like to have a “mini-practicum” or have an additional practicum course to be offered in 2nd or 3rd year of the program. Based on the findings of this study it can be said that in order to help student EFL teachers in their practicum courses, theory-practice relationship can be strengthened by incorporating practicum tasks into methodology courses, increasing the length of practicum from 1 year to 2-3 years and having more interactive, practice oriented tasks in methodology courses. To achieve this aim, pre-service teachers may also be familiarized with EPOSTL framework during their practicum courses. Future studies may focus on the relationship between methodology and practicum component with regards to EPOSTL framework to see whether the program is effective in preparing the pre-service teachers for the descriptors in the framework.

References

Ataş, U., Balıkçı, G. (2014). Evaluating the Link among Testing, Materials and School Experience Courses in an ELT Program in Turkey. Unpublished term paper. Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. Aydoğan, İ. & Çilsal, Z. (2007). Yabancı dil öğretmenlerinin yetiştirilme süreci (Türkiye ve Diğer Ülkeler), Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi, 22, 179-197. Çepik, H., Çepik,E. (2015) Aday İngilizce öğretmenlerin bakiş açisindan Türkiye’de öğretmen eğitimi. International Journal of Language Academy 3(4), p.33-42. Creswell, J. W. (2012). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among the five traditions (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Çubukçu, F. (2010). Congruence and dissonance between micro-teaching and macro- teaching. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 326–329. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.019 Gürsoy, E. (2013). Improving practicum for a better teacher training. Procedia -Social and Behavioral Sciences, 93, p. 420–425. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.09.214 Morra, L.G. and Friedlander, A.C., (n.d.). Case Study Evaluations, The World Bank Group. Retrieved from: https://ieg.worldbankgroup.org/Data/reports/oed_wp1.pdf Mutlu, G. (2014). Challenges in Practicum: Pre-Service and Cooperating Teachers’ Voices. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(36), p. 1–7. Retrieved from http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEP/article/view/17465 Parlett, M. and Hamilton, D. (1972) Evaluation as illumination: A new approach to the study of innovative programmes. Occasional Paper No. 9, Edinburgh: Centre for Research in the Educational Sciences, University of Edinburgh. Reprinted (1976) in D. Tawney (ed.) Curriculum Evaluation Today: Trends and Implications. London: Macmillan. Rakıcıoğlu-Söylemez, A., & Eröz-Tuğa, B. (2014). Mentoring expectations and experiences of prospective and cooperating teachers during practice teaching. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39, p. 146–168 Seymen, S. (2012). Beliefs and expectations of student teachers' about their self and role as teacher during teaching practice course. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 46, p. 1042 – 1046. Stufflebeam, D. L. (2001). Evaluation models. New Directions for Evaluation, 89. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Tercanlıoğlu, L. (2004). Perceptions on school-based English teacher education: a qualitative study, The Qualitative Report, 9(4), 673-705. Yavuz, A. (2011). The problematic context of mentoring: evidence from an English language teaching department at a Turkish university. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1), 43–59. doi:10.1080/02619768.2010.516431 YÖK [The Council of Higher Education]. (1998). Eğitim Fakültesi Öğretmen Yetiştirme: Lisans Programları. [The undergraduate teacher training programs of the Education Faculties]. Ankara: YÖK.

Author Information

Banu Cicek Basaran (presenting / submitting)

Middle East Technical University, Turkey

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