The purpose of this research is to examine the personal teaching metaphors ofthree Malaysian ESL pre-service teachers and to explore the extent to which sociocultural factors namely previous schooling experience, teacher education
program and curriculum specifications may influence their conceptions of teaching.
This case study looked into how their choice of metaphors relate to their pedagogical beliefs and practice. It also tries to examine the extent to which previous schooling experience, teacher education programme, and KBSM curriculum specifications influence the ESL pre-service teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and practice. Instruments used were semi-structured interview and reflective task assigned to them after their teaching practicum at local government schools. Findings indicated that the pre-service teachers have multiple roles which are represented by various metaphors that they produced in their reflective tasks. The three most common roles include meeting students’ needs, varying teaching approach, and facilitating students. The study also found that previous schooling experience and teacher education programme have the most influence on all the pre-service teachers’ beliefs and practice.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Background of the Study
Pre-service teacher education in University of Malaya
Teacher cognition
Problem Statement
Purpose of the Study
Research Questions
Definition of Terms
Significance of the Study
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Metaphors in Teacher Education
Professional Identity
Beliefs and Teacher Education
Reflective Practice
Theoretical Framework
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Introduction
Participants of the Study
Sampling Method
Instruments
Reflective task
Interview protocol
Limitations of Method of Data Collection
Data Collection Procedures
Distributing consent form
Assigning reflective task
Collecting reflective task
Conducting interview
Data Analysis
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS
Introduction
Participants’ Background Information
Teachers’ Teaching Metaphors
PT1’s metaphors
PT2’s metaphors
PT3’s metaphors
The Choice of Metaphors in Relation to Teachers’ Beliefs and Practice
The Sociocultural Influence On Teachers’ Choice Of Metaphors
Previous schooling experience
Teacher education program
KBSM curriculum specifications
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
Introduction
Summary of the Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Significance of findings
Implications for teacher education program
Limitations of the study
Future research
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to investigate the personal teaching metaphors held by Malaysian ESL pre-service teachers and to determine how these metaphors correlate with their pedagogical beliefs and teaching practices. Furthermore, the research explores the extent to which sociocultural factors, specifically previous schooling experiences, formal teacher education programs, and the KBSM curriculum specifications, influence the formation of these metaphors.
- Teaching metaphors as indicators of professional identity.
- The relationship between metaphor, teacher cognition, and pedagogical practice.
- Influence of prior schooling experiences on pre-service teachers' beliefs.
- The role of formal teacher education in shaping teaching approaches.
- The impact of the KBSM curriculum on classroom instruction.
Excerpt from the Book
Teachers’ Teaching Metaphors
Table 4.2 provides a summary of metaphors the pre-service teachers deduced with different circumstances. The circumstances adopted include problematic situations, successful situations, general situations and their envisioned teacher self. Problematic situations can refer to any problematic situations the pre-service teachers encounter during their teaching practicum involving the students, teachers, school setting and others. Successful situations refer to situations during their practicum that the pre-service teachers can be proud of, general situations refer to situations the pre-service teachers usually encounter, and envisioned teacher self refers to the pre-service teachers’ vision of the kind of teacher they would like to be in the future. Details on each pre-service teacher’s metaphor usage as described in their reflective tasks are outlined in Table 4.2.
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides an overview of the role of teachers, the importance of teacher cognition, and the research focus on using metaphors to understand pre-service teachers' identities.
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter reviews existing studies on metaphors in teacher education, professional identity, teacher beliefs, reflective practice, and the sociocultural theoretical framework.
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the qualitative case study design, participant selection, data collection methods (reflective tasks and interviews), and the thematic data analysis process.
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS: This chapter presents the data on the participants, identifies their specific teaching metaphors, and examines the influences of sociocultural factors on these choices.
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: This chapter interprets the findings, discusses the implications for teacher education programs, acknowledges study limitations, and suggests directions for future research.
Keywords
ESL, pre-service teachers, teaching metaphors, teacher cognition, professional identity, sociocultural factors, practicum, reflective practice, pedagogical beliefs, KBSM curriculum, Vygotsky, teacher training, education, language teaching, classroom practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on exploring the personal teaching metaphors adopted by three Malaysian ESL pre-service teachers to understand their professional roles and pedagogical identities.
What are the central themes of the work?
The core themes include the use of metaphors as diagnostic tools for teacher cognition, the influence of prior schooling and formal training, and the dynamic nature of teacher professional identity.
What is the primary objective of this dissertation?
The primary objective is to identify these teaching metaphors and analyze how sociocultural factors like previous schooling, teacher education, and curriculum specifications shape the teachers' beliefs.
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The author employs a qualitative case study methodology, utilizing reflective tasks and semi-structured, one-on-one interviews to gather in-depth data from the participants.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundations of teacher cognition and sociocultural theory, the methodology of the study, the detailed findings regarding participant metaphors, and a discussion connecting these findings back to established literature.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Keywords include ESL, pre-service teachers, teaching metaphors, teacher cognition, professional identity, and sociocultural factors.
How does the author define 'teacher cognition'?
The author adopts Borg's definition of teacher cognition as the "unobservable cognitive dimensions of teaching," which encompasses what teachers know, believe, and think about their profession.
What is the significance of the metaphors chosen by PT1?
PT1's metaphors, such as 'gardener' and 'mighty oak tree,' highlight her belief in the necessity of individualized attention to student needs and the importance of being deeply grounded in academic knowledge.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Wan Noor Miza Wan Mohd Yunus (Autor:in), 2017, The role of teachers in education. Exploring ESL Pre-service teachers' teaching metaphors, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/541363
