A systematic review of the literature on the preparation of preservice teachers for english first additional language teaching.

Abstract

Pre-service preparation programmes for English First Additional Language (FAL) teachers are designed to ensure they graduate with the skills and expertise to become competent teachers. So, when teachers in service feel inadequate, one must investigate the character of preparation programmes to gain insight into what they entail and solutions to ensure that teachers are adequately prepared when they enter the world of work. This study investigates how pre-service English teachers are prepared for English FAL teaching. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to discover studies from 2010 to 2020 pertinent to pre-service English teachers’ preparation programmes for English FAL teaching. Fifty studies from Australia, Cyprus, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam met the inclusion criteria of this study. These studies were qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative, concurred, convergent parallel). Data extraction sheets were used as a quality assessment tool to extract information later presented in tables and flowcharts, and thematic synthesis was used to analyse data. Results indicate that preparation programmes for English FAL teachers train pre-service teachers for classroom management, assessment practices, teaching and learning approaches and provide them with pedagogical content knowledge. Findings also indicate that pre-service English preparation programme objectives were rarely recognised in some institutions, which brought challenges to pre-service teachers during their practicum. The study concludes that pre-service teacher preparation programmes provide extensive theoretical training on coping when in service but do not adequately prepare them practically due to insufficient time to complete teacher practicum. Also, different qualifications are required to become a teacher in different countries. The study recommends that the practicum period be extended for greater exposure to natural classroom environments and that the qualification requirements be uniform so that teachers are adequately prepared to teach in different school contexts. Pre-service teachers must be exposed to speaking and presenting (approaches that also emphasise orals), so they do not get overwhelmed in crowded classrooms.