The Overseas Teaching Practicum in Pre-Service English Teacher Training: A Qualitative Data Analysis Using SCAT

Abstract

　　Some Japanese universities introduce an innovative overseas teaching practicum in pre-service training, and suggest quality and ability change for students who enrol in the practicum. The study aims to explore the changes of language teachers’ possible selves (Kubanyiova, 2009; Markus & Nurius, 1986) through the experience of the overseas teaching practicum. This paper provided examples of overseas teaching practicum focused on integrating the skills and knowledge that university students need, and reported the impact of the practicum on teacher trainees’ conceptual change about teaching and on their perceptions of English education. Data were collected using open-ended interviews with the five teacher trainees who participated in the oversea teaching practicum in 2015, and analysed through steps for coding and theorization (SCAT) developed as a qualitative data analysis method (Otani, 2008). It was concluded that the trainees saw the practicum as a positive experience that caused them to increase reflection on and revitalize their teaching. Some changes were noted from pre- to post-practicum in the trainees’ ideal and ought-to selves about learning and teaching English. This paper also discussed the framework of language teacher conceptual change (LTCC) for professional development (Kubanyiova, 2012).