Page 251 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education
P. 251

Exploring Prospective EFL Teachers’ Beliefs




               tion. In examining their professional learning theories, PTs will have the chance to put the theoretical
               foundations into application through developing professional awareness on their personalized practices.
                  In addition, PTs could be asked to reflect on the perceived and idealized conceptions of the profes-
               sion and reflect on the differences of their personal considerations. Through examining the differences
               in idealized and actual conceptions of the professional learning processes, PTs could have the chance to
               enhance their progress in the professional learning processes.


               LIMITATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH



               The study was limited to one EFL teacher education program in a non-native teacher education setting.
               Therefore, more participants are needed in order to reach a coherent understanding of the socio-cultural
               underpinnings of the PTs in the current initial teacher education setting. It may also be worthwhile to
               investigate the epistemological reasoning of PTs in terms of perceived and idealized understandings
               of the proposed professional concepts, which was beyond the scope of the current study. The study
               examined the changes and possible development in the awareness of the PTs throughout their practice
               teaching experience; however it did not consider any possible changes in teaching behavior. Therefore,
               future studies focusing on the change in PTs’ teaching behavior through observations will display a more
               coherent and in-depth understanding of PTs’ teaching practices.


               CONCLUSION


               The present study provides an example of asking PTs to reflect on their professional learning experi-
               ences through metaphors. The data analysis provides an important insight into the professional learning
               experiences of the PTs during their contact with real teaching contexts. The metaphor analysis conducted
               in the study indicated a move from the early images of language teaching to a post-image nature as PTs
               progress in the practice teaching. As Yuan and Lee (2014) and Borg (2006) pointed out, beliefs about
               learning and teaching do not change in a short amount of time, but modifications and developments might
               be observed. Therefore, the professional learning processes of the PTs tend to tie beliefs, experiences and
               professional needs. Thus, the professional awareness to be raised throughout the initial teacher education
               of the PTs will guide them to adapt and modify their beliefs about EFL teaching (Yeşilbursa, 2012).
                  Considering the number of cases presented in the study, the findings may not be generalized to a
               number of foreign language teacher education programs across the globe. Despite this fact, the findings
               of the study add to the foreign language teacher education literature by providing insights of the prospec-
               tive EFL teachers’ professional learning experiences during their practice teaching.



               REFERENCES


               Appel, J. (1995). Diary of a language teacher. Oxford: Heinemann.
               Atay, D. (2007). Beginning teacher efficacy and the practicum in an EFL context. Teacher Development,
               11(2), 203–219. doi:10.1080/13664530701414720




               232
   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   255   256