The Teaching Practicum: An Introduction



King Abdul Aziz University

English Language Institute

Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Practicum in TESOL

The Role of the Mentor

Compiled by Ozma Siddiqui

(Co-operating Teacher)

Table of Contents

Page

1. Introduction………………………………………………..3

2. The Co-operating Teacher or Mentor……………………...4

3. Activities for Professional Development…………………..6

4. Implementation of Practicum ……………………………..7

5. Focused Observation Questions …………………………..8

6. Conclusion ……………………………………………….10

7. Appendices ………………………………………………11

8. References ……………………………………………….12

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Introduction

“In most teachers training programs the practice teaching course or practicum is the major opportunity for the student teacher to acquire the practical skills and knowledge needed to function as an effective language teacher”. (Jack C. Richards & Graham Crook, 1988: The Practicum in TESOL)

The Practicum requires student teachers to complete a log or journal of the teaching experience. It is meant to train students with fewer than two years of full time teaching experience. The Practicum involves field experience providing for teacher induction or “the process by which an individual becomes a participating member of the society of teachers”. (Bliss & Reck, 1991:6)

Field based experiences offer teacher candidates a place to “observe and work with real students, teachers and curriculum in natural settings”. (Huling, 1997:1)

Ideally, the Practicum provides pre-service students with an integrated developmental experience that takes them from novice to professional in abilities. “It incorporates teaching and non-teaching activities and develops the self-knowledge and skills with effective classroom practice”. (S. Stephen, S. Melinda, (1995), The Practicum in TESOL: An Integrated Model)

In effect, there are three stake holders committed to the professional development of the novice teacher: the trainee, the co-operating teacher also known as the mentor and the supervisor (the teacher –training institution). The collaboration between this triad is of essence in that it provides a support structure for trainee teachers and access to communication.

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The Co-operating Teacher/Mentor

Definition

The co-operating teacher is an experienced teacher in whose classroom a student teacher practices teaching. The co-operating teacher is responsible for helping to provide professional education and to mentor novice teachers.

“An effective mentor listens, communicates, understands students, knows the content area and is willing to aid the growth of a beginning teacher”. (Brock and Grady, 1997)

Requirements of a Co-operating Teacher

An ideal mentor is one who:

- has a minimum of 3-5 years of teaching experience

- be teaching in the same content area or at the same grade level as the beginning teacher

- have a classroom close to the beginning teacher

- be significantly older than the beginning teacher

- be aware of gender differences (not applicable to our situation)

(B. Jean, N. Donna, P. Joe, J. Mary, (2009), 2nd ed., Guiding, Reflecting, Coaching)

Function of a Co-operating Teacher

Traditionally, the co-operating teacher was a model for the trainee to simulate in classroom situations, but today the focus is on helping new teachers to become reflective thinkers who explore their own individual styles. By observing an experienced teacher, they are able to think about what they would do in a similar situation and whether the strategies they employed would be helpful for them or not.

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The role of the CT can sometimes be vague and therefore, difficult because she needs to bridge the gap between the practical teaching in the real classroom and the theoretical knowledge that the student teacher brings with her. Generally speaking, the CT functions as both a guide as well as a model.

The co-operating teacher is required to:

- model for trainee teachers different aspects of classroom dynamics: classroom management, interactive activities, instruction and planning, etc.

- supervise the trainee as she teaches her class

- act as mentor to support, assist and provide counsel

- provide any teaching materials available (lesson plans, transparencies, visual or audio aids, class handouts, etc.)

- give control of her classroom in varying degrees to student teacher

- provide feedback to student teachers

- appreciate the student teacher for her efforts and give constructive criticism if needed

- be objective at all times

- be sensitive to the perceived challenges of the classroom

- assist student teachers to create a climate of learning

- encourage new teachers to become reflective thinkers and explore their teaching styles

- encourage them to become an active participant, inquirer and critical thinker

- be prepared to give the trainee emotional support which reduces their sense of isolation

It is important to realize that trainee teachers generally have a tendency to focus on themselves and their own teaching behaviours rather than on the students’ learning. According to Kagan, (1992), this is a natural progression of development for trainee teachers and any attempt to hasten this stage could impair the process altogether. Ideally, a mentor should be trained in teacher training and assign her the responsibility of mentoring. Her teaching hours could be reduced so that she can pay more attention to the task of observing a new teacher, make qualitative and quantitative assessments and assist in the professional development in the wider perspective.

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The mentor may begin the Practicum period with two in-depth interviews, one before, and one directly following the practicum. These will help in determining participants’ attitudes and points of view. The pre-observational meeting helps students to establish the context of the observation, for example, lesson objectives, background of the students to be taught and specific challenges faced by the teacher already teaching the group. A post-observation meeting allows the student teacher to discuss his or her reaction to the data and reflect on the lesson. A reflective journal to record informal encounters with the teacher can also form a base for personal reflection.

Activities For Professional Development

The Practicum will include a range of activities to sustain gradual development from student teacher to professional instructor. These are:

- observing experienced teachers

- observing peers live or on video tape

- being observed by supervising or mentor teachers

- attending practicum seminars

- conferencing with supervising or mentor teachers

- participating in peer teaching sessions

- delivering classroom instruction

(The Directory of Professional Preparatory Progress in TESOL in the United States, Richards & Crookes, (1988).

Consequently, the end product would be to learn to teach through “learning the texture of the classroom and the sets of behaviour congruent with the environmental demands of that setting”. (Doyle, 1977:31)

This may be envisaged through coping with rules inside and outside the classroom for lesson planning, following or developing curricula; learning routines of the classroom and how to interact with authorities and colleagues.

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Implementation of Practicum

In the United States, the usual duration of the Practicum is about 10 weeks. It occurs at the end of the teaching program, oftentimes known as the PGDE or Post Graduate Diploma in Education. It is an intense period of self reflection and applying theory to practice. It has also been known to determine a candidate’s future career path. The Practicum can be critical in either making a professional of the novice teacher or then have her leave the profession forever.

The need for emotional support is greatest at this point and the student needs to be encouraged to overcome the shortcomings in any areas of weakness.

The student teacher will be expected to focus on:

- class room management skills

- lesson planning

- awareness of teaching style and

- ability to interact with students.

There is also a strong need to develop teachers’ perceptions and values with regard to viewing teaching as a science of disseminating information through various teaching techniques.

There are several areas that are focused on during the mentoring period. Appendix A below demonstrates the areas of classroom teaching which may be observed. Although the list is for student teachers in the main, it may work for mentors just as well.

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Focused Observation Questions

1. How does the teacher focus the students’ attention on the lesson at the beginning of class?

2. How many activities take place during one class period? What type of activities are they? In what order are they introduced? How much time is spent on each? Why?

3. How does the teacher move the class from one activity to another?

4. How does the teacher provide closure to an activity?

5. What learning objectives has the teacher set? How does the teacher let students know the objectives or learning outcomes of the lesson, activity, or unit?

6. Does the teacher stay focused on the lesson?

7. How does the teacher introduce new material?

8. How does the teacher check whether students understand what they are supposed to do during an activity?

9. What kind of guided practice does the teacher provide for the students?

10. What kind of independent practice does the teacher provide for the students?

11. When and how does the teacher review material?

12. Does the teacher use realia in the classroom? If so, in what ways?

13. How does the teacher end class?

14. When and how does the teacher take care of administrative duties such as taking attendance or handing back homework?

15. Are students actively participating in the lesson? Do they seem interested? Bored? Happy? Afraid? What makes you think so?

16. How does the teacher get students to participate?

17. How does the teacher get students to speak loudly enough?

18. How does the teacher deal with students who are not paying attention?

19. Does the teacher deal with students who are not paying attention?

20. Does the teacher attempt to limit the first languages spoken in the classroom? How?

21. How does the teacher make the material meaningful and relevant to these particular students?

22. How does the teacher give directions for an activity? Verbally? Visually? Through examples?

23. How does the teacher emphasize main points? Is there a change in the volume of the teacher’s voice or in the rate of speech or in body language?

24. When and how does the teacher correct students’ errors?

25. When and how does the teacher give encouragement or praise?

26. At what points during the lesson does the teacher write on the board or overhead? Why?

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27. How many times does the teacher repeat a question or phrase? Does the teacher repeat the question or phrase verbatim or does the teacher paraphrase?

28. Are there certain times when the teacher seems to use repetition and others when the teacher paraphrases?

29. Where is the teacher standing while giving instructions to the whole class? While eliciting answers from individuals in the class? While students are engaged in small-group or paired activities?

30. How does the teacher assign homework?

31. Do you notice any differences in how teachers deal with these issues with different levels?

(Taken from Sayavedra, M. (1993), Focused observations using guide questions, in D. Freeman with S. Cornwell (Eds) New Ways in Teacher Education, Alexandria, VA: TESOL)

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Conclusion

Owing to the logistics of time and scheduling, it is often not possible for student teachers to carry out a full observation of the syllabus. So it is a good idea to give a handout containing one or two questions to focus on during each observation and encourage the trainees to collect at least some data on each of the questions by the end of the focused observation period.

This sort of observation procedure will help students to identify some of the factors that contribute to effective language lessons and increase their awareness of methods for solving classroom management problems.

The recommended method for mentor teachers to assist the trainee is to use discussions as a way to get students to explore the effectiveness of a particular lesson and to provoke the students to reflect on what she would do in a similar situation.

The golden rule is to remain objective at all times and be careful to offer constructive criticism without getting personal.

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Appendices

Appendix A

Observation template

Name of Trainee ___________________________ Date -----------------   Time--------

  Location --------------------- Name of Co-operating Teacher ------------------------------

Name of Supervisor -------------------------------     

Holistic reporting document

|Classroom Experience. |Details/Notes/Commentary  |

|Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses |  |

|  | |

|  | |

|  | |

|Areas for Further development |  |

|  | |

|  | |

| | |

|  | |

|  | |

Appendix B

Journal Entry

Course Name and Number: ----------------- Semester Taught: --------

Name of Trainee ------------------------------

Instructor's Name: ----------------------------

Date: -------------------------

1. Overall, what improvement would you suggest to make this a better class?

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

2. Were the students motivated to learn? How can you tell?

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

3. Which type of assignment motivated students to learn in this class? Why?

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

4. How effective were the teaching methods used? What are they?

- ___________________________________________________________

- ___________________________________________________________

- ___________________________________________________________

- ___________________________________________________________

5. How could you have made the lesson more effective?

-___________________________________________________________

- ___________________________________________________________

- __________________________________________________________

Appendix C: Sample Lesson Plan format

Lesson Plan 1

No. of students expected: Name of Teacher:

Date:

Time:

Level:

________________________________________________________________________

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson students will have:

|Stage |App. Time |Student Activity |Teacher Activity |Interactive Pattern|Reason of link to |Aids/Attributes |

| |(mins) | | | |objective | |

| | | | | | | |

|1 | | | | | | |

|2 | | | | | | |

|3 | | | | | | |

|4 | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

| | | | | | | |

|5 | | | | | | |

|6 | | | | | | |

|7 | | | | | | |

T-Class; S-S; Pair-work; Group work

Notes/Comments:

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References

Bliss, L B and U M Reck (1991). PROFILE: an instrument for gathering data in teacher socialization studies. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 330 662

Boreen, J, Niday, D, Johnson, M (2009) 2nd Ed. Guiding, Reflecting, Coaching, Stenhouse Publishers

Crooke, G and Richards, J (1988): The Practicum in TESOL

Crooke, G and Richards, J (1988): The Directory of Professional Preparatory Progress in TESOL in the United States

Farrell, T (2001) Vol 16 No.1 PROSPECT: English Language Teacher Socialization during the Practicum

Guillaume, A and Rudney, G (2003): Maximum Mentoring: An Action Guide for Teacher Trainers and Co-operating Teachers, Corwin Press

Sayavedra, M and Staynoff, S (1995): The Practicum in TESOL: An Integrated Model ERIC # 389172

Compiled by Ozma Siddiqui

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