Aspiring teachers’ understanding of the ELT professional practicum during the COVID-19 pandemic
Date
2021-10-22
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Abstract
"The current health crisis due to Covid-19 has presented different challenges for the educational field and TESOL field. Aspiring English teachers, still in training, have been in the need to abruptly adapt to the complexities imposed on their practicum during pandemic times. The aim of this research is to explore emerging and struggling issues for future English teachers as they had to go from a traditional, ´learned´ teaching model to one that is fully online. To do this, the reflections of the professional practicum of three students along 3 critical moments of the pandemic will be analyzed: at the verge of the pandemic, Spring 2020, during it, Fall 2020, and throughout it, Spring 2021. Results from the theme analiysis of students texts reflect an emotional state related to teaching English online, highlight emergent topics for reflection as well as new class modalities for the practicum. These aspects may indicate the adaptation and the understanding of what it takes to be a teacher and a professional when immersed in an adverse English Language Teaching scenario. Notwithstanding, it is crucial further research on these changes and their implications for teacher training".