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Exploring Prospective EFL Teachers’ Beliefs

establishment of an inter-rater reliability analysis (K=.90). Finally, the data were analyzed quantitatively
to elaborate more on the content and frequencies of metaphors used by the prospective EFL teachers to
outline their professional learning experience during practice teaching.
During the data analysis, not every metaphor produced by the PTs was considered valid. A total of 95
metaphors were excluded from the analysis with the following qualities: plain description or no mention
of a metaphor at all, mention of a metaphor but no provision of a rationale, fuzzy/hybrid metaphors or
researchers’ having difficulty in placing the metaphor under one clearly recognizable conceptual theme.
There were no specific hypotheses suggested due to the explorative nature of the present study.
Nevertheless, previous studies provide a solid basis to predict the metaphors disposed by the PTs (e.g.
Saban, Koçbeker & Saban, 2006, 2007; Seferoğlu, Korkmazgil & Ölçü, 2009; Yeşilbursa, 2012; Eren &
Tekinarslan, 2012; Yeşilbursa & Sayar, 2014). The valid metaphors collected and analyzed in the data
analysis were explored and examined according to their relevancy, coherency, and meaningfulness in
terms of addressing the research questions of the study.
The results of the study were grouped under three main headings (see Table 2). The first stage of
the analysis was the early images of the PTs with regards to the proposed concepts. In the second stage,
PTs were asked to reflect on their experiences after attending the practice teaching. In order to elicit the
post-images of the PTs, they were given the same data collection tool at the end of the practice teaching.
Finally, interviews were transcribed and analyzed in order to address the possible changes of definitions
made by the PTs.
The order of sequencing showed that before attending the practice teaching, PTs thought of their
role more as an obedient and a directed figure when compared to the metaphors they gave after at-
tending the course. However, after attending the practice teaching, PTs considered themselves more
as an infant which is explained by the PTs as professional learning is a progress and they have ‘a lot to
learn’(Ercan, Post-M). The concepts of teachers and teaching were not examined by the PTs through
significant changes. The sequencing of the objectives did not show any radical changes when the early
and post images were examined. However, some of the definitions gained priority such as in the images
of teachers, PTs considered teachers as source in their early images of third place, whereas PTs consid-
ered teachers as frustrated figures as third in their post images. In addition, PTs’ definition of teaching
was considered as transmitting of knowledge as priority. On the other hand, PTs defined teaching as
guiding in the post images.

Table 2. Initial content analysis of the metaphors

Metaphor Data Themes
Being a PT Early images Obedient/directed, craftsperson, examiner, guide, infant
Post images Infant, obedient/directed, provider of knowledge, guide, bystander, craftsperson,
flourishing, source, reflective, needed object
Teachers Early images Guide, craftsperson, source, needed object, hoper, bystander
Post images Guide, craftsperson, frustration, source, nurturer, tool
Teaching Early images Transmitting knowledge, guiding, interaction
Post images Guiding, transmitting knowledge, interaction, suffering, blessing

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