Iranian teacher education programmes: EFL student teachers perspectives on their future teaching abilities

Abstract

This cross-sectional study employed a mixed method design to examine perspectives of EFL student teachers at Iranian teacher universities on their future teaching abilities in terms of California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTP) that are stated in Commission on Teacher Credentialing. In the current study, 223 (109 female and 114 male) EFL student teachers from six Iranian teacher universities participated in a survey. Twelve interviews were conducted with 12 selected volunteers from surveyed student teachers. The results showed a difference between the perspectives of the female first-year and the male and female last-year groups. The difference was also significant between male and female first-year student teachers. Implications for teacher education are discussed.