Overseas teaching experience: student teachers’ perspectives of teaching practicum

AbstractThis study assesses the extent to which teaching experience in Turkish schools affected the educational philosophies and expectations of foreign and Turkish student teachers. Five foreign student teachers and 8 Turkish student teachers were examined for a 3 weeks teaching practicum in English lessons. The students participated to a pre-teaching survey consisting of 6 open-ended questions related to perceptions, expectations and attitudes towards language teaching. The students also kept a journal during their practicum program. The findings indicated that pre-teaching experience had an important impact on both foreign and Turkish student teachers’ professional and personal development