Learning to Teach in Underserved Schools: A Socio-constructivist Perspective

This book explores the complex issues of student teachers professional learning in underserved schools, focusing on their learning outcomes, processes, and influencing factors. It presents practical knowledge categories and reveals learning processes through the upward spiral of individual knowledge categories. Factors such as practical knowledge, critical incidents, observant and reflective stances, school settings, and goals influence their professional learning experiences.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2021
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing Inc

This comprehensive book delves into the intricate challenges of student teachers' professional learning within the distinctive yet rewarding setting of underserved schools in English language teacher education. With a socio-constructivist lens, it explores the outcomes, processes, and influencing factors of student teachers' learning during their placement in these schools, aiming to prepare 21st-century teachers capable of effectively working with diverse students. Learning outcomes are presented by examining the development of student teachers across various categories of practical knowledge, encompassing self-awareness, understanding of context, curriculum expertise, subject matter knowledge, instructional skills, knowledge of English teachers and the teaching profession, as well as interpersonal relationships.

The learning processes are unveiled, revealing how student teachers acquire knowledge through broadening, consolidating, deepening, and developing practical knowledge in an upward spiral, integrating knowledge from different categories. Various factors have shaped their professional learning experiences, including their prior practical knowledge, critical incidents during teaching practicums, observant and reflective attitudes, the unique characteristics of underserved school settings, the involvement of practicum participants, and the student teachers' goals for participating in these practicums.

This book offers valuable insights into the complexities of student teachers' professional growth in underserved schools, shedding light on the strategies and approaches necessary to support their development and prepare them for the diverse classroom environments they will encounter in their future teaching careers.

Weight: 393g
Dimension: 225 x 150 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781433186011
Edition number: New ed