Introducing TEA in Pre-service Teacher Training

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Introducing TEA in Pre-service Teacher Training

• EALTA Conference 2005, Voss, Norway

Carol Spoettl Wolfgang Stadler Philologisch-Kult
urwissenschafliche Fakultät University of
Innsbruck
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Presentation OverviewThe Innsbruck Model

• Methodology Course

• TEA Course

• European Label 2002
• Course content
• Course assessment
• Student reactions
• Problems
• Action points

• Course content
• Course assessment
• Student reactions
• Problems
• Action points

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The Innsbruck Model StructurePre-service
teacher education for foreign languages
Two joint courses language specific workshops
for all philological departments Course 1
Methodology Introduction to the teaching of
foreign languages for student teachers studying
one or two (foreign) languages Course 2 Testing,
Evaluation Assessment
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The Innsbruck Model Content

• Multilingual approach
• Bilingual sessions
• Language awareness
• Reflective practice
• Pre- and post graduation model effects
• Team-teaching
• Co-operation
• Synergy effects

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Course Content Methodology

• Language learning biography
• Curriculum Syllabus design
• Lesson planning
• Media the new technology
• Open space panel discussion
• Multilingualism in the foreign language class
• Language acquisition language learning
• Learner autonomy, learning strategies self
  assessment
• Common European Framework of Reference
• Motivation forms theory

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Testing, Evaluation, Assessment
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Course content TEA

• Testing
• Test method
• Test purpose
• Achievment
• Proficiency
• Validity
• Reliability
• Test items
• washback

• Assessment
• Teacher assessment
• Peer assessment
• Self assessment
• Assessing grammar
• Assessing vocabulary
• Assessing the skills
• Assessment tools

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TEA Course Assessment

• Portfolio
• Cover letter
• One book review
• Three article reviews
• Comparison of two international tests (for the
  language of their choice)
• Goal Statement

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TEA Course assessmentSpecific Language Workshops

• Portfolio

• Cover letter
• Three test items
• Two assessment tools
• One self designed school test

• for a chosen level
• and a given course book

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Student Reactions quantitative results
More confidence now
Presentations with enthusiasm and involvment
Alternatives to traditional methods
Handoutsuseful
good overview
helpful
necessary
interesting
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Problems encoutered in TEA course internal

• Time a one hour course
• English as the language of the literature
• Attitudes to language learning
• the power of personal experience over academic
  input
• grasp of SLA-theories

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• Tests are based on theories of the nature of
  language use in the target setting and the way in
  which this is understood will be reflected in
  test design.
• MacNamara 2000.10

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TEA Problems encountered course-external

• Acceptance levels outwith the university
• our own Face Validity problem
• feelings of institutional competition for
  competency
• Absence of feedback from school to university
• Teachers supervising teaching practice

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The very nature of testing has changed quite
radically over the years to become less
impositional, more humanistic, conceived not so
much to catch people out on what they dont know
but as a more neutral assess -ment of what the
do. MacNamara 2000.4
AK figures for Austrian parent expenditure on
extra tuitition May 2005 60.000,- to
100.000,- annually (for Maths and English)
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Action Points

• Political cooperation sought and obtained
• LEA (Local Education Authority)
• In-service training courses for supervisors of
  trainee teachers
• A two-year-plan for TEA in service course for ALL
  foreign language teachers
• Follow-up work shops to support new principled
  practice

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Conclusions

• Advice we can give
• Link teaching courses with testing courses

• Advice we would like
• How to redress the dominance of English in the
  background literature
• How to change mind sets

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Thank you for your attention!