Prospective teachers' self-assessment of international sojourns: Pedagogical byproducts and language ability gains

Abstract

Fifty student teachers who travelled abroad through three types of programs, namely, au pair, teaching assistantship and work abroad, while enrolled in two public Colombian universities, provided interview and survey data for this mixed method study which privileges a qualitative approach. Researchers analyzed these participants' reports with the purpose of determining how their international sojourns leveraged their language abilities and their pedagogical learning. Results show participants' self-perceived language betterment as anchored in their strategies and attitudes to capitalize on the multifarious learning opportunities they encountered. At the pedagogical level, expanding teaching skills and perspectives concerning methodology, the role of culture in learning, material design and curriculum became serendipitous achievements which hinged upon student teachers' relation with mentors and participation in various pedagogical scenarios.