Conceptualizing the practicum experience of pre-service English language teachers through reflection

Abstract

This study inferred the pre-service English teachers conceptualizations of their internship experience and investigated the process of reflective identity construction. Thirty pre-service English language teachers participated in the study with their final reflection reports comprising the data analysed in the study. Through a process of analysis that made use of communication units, the findings suggest that the pre-service language teachers indicated a positive impression of their practicum experience evidenced by their use of positive evaluative remarks. The interns also reported that they have improved cognitively in the duration of their practicum. The interns' reflective practices offered the teacher interns an opportunity to conceptualize their roles as second language teachers and may well raise their awareness about second language teaching in general.