Supervisory Support Received by EFL Student Teachers during Practicum: The Missing Link

Abstract

This study investigates the role of supervisory support for assisting the EFL student teachers to perform better during practicum. It also aims at identifying the barriers of effective supervision during teaching practicum. The study adopts the qualitative research design using a multiple case study. Semi-structured interviews are developed to collect data from four student teachers and their supervisors during their teaching practices at local secondary schools in Yemen. Four emerging themes are developed from the thematic analysis of the data including the supervisory support on lesson planning, teaching strategies, classroom management and the number of observations. The findings reveal that the participating student teachers received insufficient support and guidance from their panel supervisors which limit their pedagogical practices during practicum. The findings also highlight some barriers to effective supervision due to some restrictions. The study provides practical implications for EFL teacher education program administrators and developers to reconsider the supervision plan so as to contribute towards professional teaching practices at schools during practicum in Yemen.