Leskinen, J., Kumpulainen, K., & Kajamaa, A. (2024)

Speakers: Prof. Li Li, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor & Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Exeter (UK)
Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Multipurpose Room, Ponderosa Commons North (PCN 2012)

Theme:
Cognition-in-interaction: a case of novice language teachers

Teacher cognition has been an important agenda of language teacher education in recent decades, and it has advanced the field’s understanding of L2 teachers’ work. Thus far, language teacher cognition has been understood from different epistemological perspectives and researched with different methodological approaches. Given that teacher cognition is social and situational, more research is needed from an emic perspective to understand how teachers develop and renew their cognitions in their professional context.

This presentation and discussion will focus on a discursive psychological perspective on teacher cognition, investigating novice teacher cognition using applied conversation analysis. As part of a more extensive study, the study discussed here offers an in-depth analysis of novice Chinese EFL teachers’ thinking, knowing, understanding, conceptualising, and stance-taking regarding language teaching.

In the study, the teachers were recruited through a combination of convenience and snowball sampling strategies. The dataset includes 330 minutes of classroom teaching, 217 minutes of interviews, and 605 minutes of video-based guided reflection on teaching. The data revealed the key theme in teachers’ understanding of 1) focusing on linguistic knowledge, 2) establishing teacher authority, and 3) developing practical pedagogical knowledge. The findings reveal teachers’ moment-by-moment cognition-in-interaction and multiple roles in facilitating learning. Substantial implications are put forward for teacher learning and teacher education.

Dr. Li Li is Professor of Applied Linguistics and Language Education at the University of Exeter (UK). Her research areas include teacher cognition, ‘applied’ conversation analysis, social interaction, thinking skills, and technology-enhanced language learning. Professor Li is the author of Language Teacher Cognition (2020),Social Interaction and Teacher Cognition (2017) and New Technologies and Language Learning (2017), and edited Thinking Skills in Second Language Education(2019), Routledge Handbook of Researching for Teaching Thinking Skills (2015). She leads multiple international projects, and the most recent projects are developing digital literacies for modern language teachers and decolonising curriculum in higher education.

Professor Li’s research interests include: language teacher cognition; thinking skills; social interaction; technology use in (language) education and mixed methodology and sociocultural theory. https://experts.exeter.ac.uk/3161-li-li

Speakers: Dr. George Whitehead, Dr. Kathryn Accurso, Giovanna Lucci, Kyu Yun Lim
Date: Tuesday, November 26
Time: 3:00PM – 4:30PM
Location: Ponderosa Commons North, Multipurpose Room (PCN 2012)

Theme:
How can we bridge the gap between research and practice in language teacher eduation?

Narrowing the theory-practice divide: In-service teachers’ perspectives on the ideal educator for pre-service language teachers
George E.K. Whitehead

The longstanding gap between research and practice in language teacher education persists globally, yet few studies examine how teacher educators might contribute to this divide or ways to bridge it. This study explores the perspectives of 15 Korean in-service English teachers on the ideal qualities of educators for pre-service teachers, guided by the question: “What qualities do English teacher educators in South Korea need to prepare teachers for in-service roles?” Findings indicate that many South Korean teacher educators lack current, firsthand classroom experience, resulting in an overemphasis on theory with minimal focus on practical teaching strategies. This misalignment between educators’ language teaching experiences and real classroom demands leads to both a theory-practice and contextual gap, where what teachers learn does not align with classroom realities. Participants suggest restructuring teacher education faculties to include educators who are knowledgeable in relevant research and theory and possess extensive, up-to-date teaching experience in the types of classrooms their teacher-learners are likely to encounter. This study underscores the need to rethink faculty qualifications and compositions in English teacher education, ultimately promoting programs that effectively bridge the theory-practice divide and better equip teacher-learners for their future teaching roles. In this research seminar I discuss these findings and the implications for present and future language teacher education programs.

George E.K. Whitehead is a full-time lecturer in the Language & Literacy Education Department at the University of British Columbia. His main research interests include language teacher education and development, language teacher leadership, and the development of context-specific language teaching and learning practices.

Learning to braid: Integrating multilingual pedagogies, antiracism, and disciplinary instruction in elementary teacher education
Kathryn Accurso and Giovanna Lucci

Abstract: K-7 classrooms are diverse spaces where students and teachers navigate cultures, languages, and (racialized) identities as they engage in disciplinary teaching and learning. They are also spaces harmfully impacted by raciolinguistic ideologies and a persistent separation of language and content instruction. Consequently, critical teacher education scholarship advocates for more systematic integration of antiracism, multilingual pedagogies, and disciplinary content in preparation programs. Aligned with such calls, this critical action research study, which includes team members Dr. Margaret Early and Jonathan Ferreira, outlines four teacher educators’ attempts to integrate these priorities across two mandatory teacher education courses focused on language arts and supporting multilingual learners. We ask: How did elementary teacher candidates attempt to braid these priorities in designing read-aloud lessons? What characteristics distinguished more and less tightly braided attempts along a continuum of learning? Key lesson design tasks included selecting read-aloud texts, establishing content and language objectives, planning content-language scaffolds, and reflecting on design choices. Reflexive thematic analysis of 30 small-group assignments and reflections by 122 teacher candidates indicate that critical (disciplinary) consciousness and contextualized language supports were distinguishing features of more tightly braided lesson plans. We discuss these findings and their implications for teacher education knowledge, curriculum, and program design.

Kathryn Accurso is Associate Professor of Teaching Multilingual Learners at the University of British Columbia. Her teaching and research areas are: understanding and reimagining K–12 disciplinary literacies through a lens of antiracism, critical systemic functional linguistics and genre pedagogy, and action research as a form of teacher/teacher educator professional development.

Giovanna Lucci is a PhD candidate in Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia. Her current research explores how multimodal storytelling can be incorporated across the curriculum to promote equity, facilitate learning, and foster classroom communities through collaborative relationships. Research interests include multimodal storytelling, multiliteracies, and collaboration.

Teacher-researcher collaboration for implementing anti-racist pedagogy in a Korean EFL classroom
Kyu Yun LIm

While the revised Korean National Curriculum for English emphasizes the importance of diversity and cross-cultural understanding, K-12 English textbooks have not sufficiently addressed the values of cultural and racial diversity. To address this gap, it is crucial for language educators to raise students’ awareness and encourage them to reject discrimination and embrace human multiplicity. This research investigated how an in-service English teacher, in collaboration with a university researcher, engaged in anti-racist praxis through participatory action research. Conducted in a public middle school located in Seoul, South Korea, the collaboration aimed to incorporate anti-racist pedagogy into intercultural education to foster students’ critical awareness of racism. The partnership involved the development of curriculum and materials, classroom teaching practices, and a systematic reflection process. Guided by critical race theory, the teaching materials and activities incorporated the counter-stories of marginalized populations through graphic novels, movies, and discussion with a Black guest speaker. The findings indicate that this collaboration led to the creation of theoretically grounded curriculum materials, interactive teaching practices through collaborative reflection, and a transformation in teacher agency. The university researcher’s support helped the teacher navigate sensitive issues, enhancing teacher agency and resilience. However, challenges such as rigid English curriculum, insufficient existing teaching materials adequate for the local context and lack of supporting community highlight the need for policymakers and textbook developers to support these efforts. This study pioneers the implementation of anti-racist pedagogy within the EFL classroom, and this trial contributes to bridging the gap between theory and practice dealing with the racial issues in the EFL context. 

Kyu Yun Lim is a PhD student in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at the University of British Columbia. She brings a wealth of practical experience to her research, having previously served as a secondary English teacher and teacher educator in Seoul, Korea. Her research centers on critical digital literacy practices within K-12 education, anti-racist pedagogy, and technology-mediated language learning, with a passion for fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments.