Primary English teacher education in Portugal: an exploratory study

• Autor(a) principal: Vieira, Flávia
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Mourão, Sandie, Andrade, Ana Isabel, Cruz, Mário, Reis-Jorge, José, Leslie, Carolyn, Orega, Maria Isabel, Pinho, Ana Sofia, Silva, Elisabete Mendes, Simões, Ana Raquel
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10773/39953
• topic: Initial teacher education; Professional learning;; Teaching English as a foreign language; Primary education

The expansion of early language learning has fostered the need to prepare qualified teachers of English to young learners. This paper presents findings from a multi-site case study of initial teacher education programmes created in 2015 in Portugal when English became compulsory in grades 3 and 4. The study investigated intended professional learning competences and tasks as described in curricula, as well as teaching and inquiry practices developed in practicum settings. A multi-method approach was used, involving the analysis of ten higher education institutions’ curricula, a sample of practicum reports, the responses of former student teachers to an online survey, and reflective records from student teachers, faculty supervisors, and cooperating teachers. Findings portray a reflective, inquiry-oriented view of professional development and the enactment of current teaching approaches. The study stresses the role of curricula and practicum arrangements in creating meaningful professional learning scenarios and promoting learner-centred teaching in schools.