Exploring preparation of pre-service teachers' English proficiency and pedagogy: Stories from an EFL teacher education program

Abstract

Many English teachers today are non-native speakers of English graduating from Pre-service English Teacher Education (PETE) programs in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. They undertake their teaching career in a strategic but challenging linguistic and educational situation. This paper reports findings from such a situation based on a qualitative case study of a PETE program at an Indonesian university that aimed to explore the nature of curriculum provision in preparation to develop pre-service teachers' English proficiency and pedagogy. Data were collected from pre-service teachers, teacher educators, and program administrator using interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. Results of data analyses revealed a nature of curriculum provision that is inadequately supportive in preparing pre-service teachers' English proficiency and pedagogy. It is represented in three emerging themes: inadequacy of English proficiency in learning to teach English, lack of balance between theory and practice, and inadequate facilitation for contextual and integrated learning experience. Keywords: Preservice Teachers, English Proficiency, Pedagogy, Teacher Education Program, Qualitative