Research in primary languages: contribution to teacher professional development
Research in primary languages: contribution to teacher professional development
The teaching of a second/foreign language in primary school has become a global phenomenon. Nevertheless, the scant evidence that exists about primary school teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about language pedagogy suggests that these are often influenced by their own experiences and “lay wisdom” rather than by research-informed principles. Furthermore, bringing about shifts in the knowledge and beliefs of busy in-service teachers is a challenge. This chapter begins by outlining what is already known about primary language teachers’ beliefs, and what key research-informed principles might be important for them to know and understand. It then considers the creation and impact of an online training initiative designed to develop teachers’ understanding of primary languages pedagogy and practice. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data from teacher participants in a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC), we discuss whether the initiative resulted in changes in teachers’ understanding and beliefs, and to what extent the methods used in the online materials facilitated any development. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of the study for models of primary school language teacher development and areas for future research.
63-92
Porter, Alison
978474c5-8b0b-4dc6-8463-3fd68162d0cd
Graham, Suzanne
4362a2cc-f6ae-4b36-9047-b182712d9006
2022
Porter, Alison
978474c5-8b0b-4dc6-8463-3fd68162d0cd
Graham, Suzanne
4362a2cc-f6ae-4b36-9047-b182712d9006
Porter, Alison and Graham, Suzanne
(2022)
Research in primary languages: contribution to teacher professional development.
In,
McManus, Kevin and Schmidt, Monika
(eds.)
How special are early birds?: Foreign language teaching and learning.
(Eurosla Studies, 6)
Language Science Press, .
(doi:10.5281/zenodo.6811427).
Record type:
Book Section
Abstract
The teaching of a second/foreign language in primary school has become a global phenomenon. Nevertheless, the scant evidence that exists about primary school teachers’ knowledge and beliefs about language pedagogy suggests that these are often influenced by their own experiences and “lay wisdom” rather than by research-informed principles. Furthermore, bringing about shifts in the knowledge and beliefs of busy in-service teachers is a challenge. This chapter begins by outlining what is already known about primary language teachers’ beliefs, and what key research-informed principles might be important for them to know and understand. It then considers the creation and impact of an online training initiative designed to develop teachers’ understanding of primary languages pedagogy and practice. Drawing on both quantitative and qualitative data from teacher participants in a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC), we discuss whether the initiative resulted in changes in teachers’ understanding and beliefs, and to what extent the methods used in the online materials facilitated any development. The chapter concludes by considering the implications of the study for models of primary school language teacher development and areas for future research.
Text
360-McManusSchmid-2022-4
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More information
Published date: 2022
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 483721
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/483721
ISSN: 2626-2665
PURE UUID: 72156ff6-94ee-4583-8c20-16acaf200fe7
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Date deposited: 03 Nov 2023 18:00
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 03:20
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Contributors
Author:
Suzanne Graham
Editor:
Kevin McManus
Editor:
Monika Schmidt
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