Fremdsprachliche Literaturdidaktik, interkulturelles Lernen, qualitative Kompetenzmodellierung, Kompetenzentwicklung in der Lehrerbildung, kompetenzorientierter Unterricht, Erzählforschung, Lehr-/Lernforschung, Sprachbewusstheit

Competencies Development of English Teacher Trainees

Though typically focused on learners, empirical research on the competence-paradigm is gaining interest in the role of the teacher as well (cf. Gnutzmann/Königs/Küster 2014). Within the field of TEFL, current research is predominantly focussing on the first phase of teacher education (cf. Legutke/Schart 2016). Since competences of English teacher trainees (second phase) have not yet been empirically modelled, the presented explorative study employs qualitative methods to identify components of TEFL-competences and to generate a structural framework by integrating coexisting models and descriptors of the Standards Lehrerbildung, (KMK 2004) and the European Portfolio for Language Teachers in Training (EPOSTL) (Council of Europe 2007).

Designed as a qualitative longitudinal panel analysis (cf. Kromrey/Strübing 2009: 67), the study focuses on a group of seven English teacher trainees throughout the second phase of teacher education. Data is collected through narrative interviews, focussed interviews and written lesson plans and is analysed following principles of inductive qualitative content analysis (cf. Kuckartz 2012) The study applies the following research questions:

•        Which textual clues hint at competence development?
•        How does competence development change over time within the sample?
•        What is the role of educational documents for categorisation (EPOSTL/Standards Lehrerbildung)?

Preliminary results indicate that competence development of English teacher trainees is to be described by increasing complexity of evaluative and diagnostic skills and aptitudes. Insights from the research project are already being applied in classroom contexts at the University of Paderborn, seeking to promote professionalisation of students of TEFL, especially in MA.ed. seminars, such as Begleitseminar Praxisemester, Begleitforschungsseminar and Diagnose und Förderung.

Timeline for Data Collection

Data Analysis

Inductive Qualitative Content Analysis. (cf. Mayring 2000; Kuckartz 2012)

Project Related Publications

with Gerlach, David (2016a). „Fachdidaktische Kompetenzen und fremdsprachliche Professionalisierung: Einblicke in Forschungsprojekte zur 2. Phase der Fremdsprachenlehrerbildung“. Zeitschrift für Fremdsprachenforschung.

with Gerlach, David (2016b). „Professionalisierung und Kompetenzentwicklung in der 2. Phase der Fremdsprachenlehrer(innen)bildung: Akteure, Prozesse, Themen“. In: Legutke, Michael/Schart, Michael. Fremdsprachendidaktische Professionsforschung: Brennpunkt Lehrerbildung. Tübingen: Narr.

List of References

Council of Europe (ed.) (2007). European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages - A reflection tool for language teacher education. Strasbourg/Graz: Council of Europe, European Centre for Modern Languages.

Gnutzmann, Claus/Königs, Frank G./Küster, Lutz (ed.) (2014), FLuL – Fremdsprachen Lehren und Lernen. Fremdsprachenlehrer im Fokus. Heft 43 (1).

KMK (2004). Standards für die Lehrerbildung: Bildungswissenschaften. Beschluss der Kultusministerkonferenz vom 16.12.2004. [http://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2004/2004_12_16-Standards-Lehrerbildung.pdf, 03.11.2017].

Kromrey, Helmut/Strübing, Jörg (2009). Empirische Sozialforschung. Modelle und Methoden der standardisierten Datenerhebung und Datenauswertung. Stuttgart: Lucius & Lucius.

Kuckartz, Udo (2012). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse: Methoden, Praxis, Computerunterstützung. Weinheim: Beltz-Juventa.

Legutke, Michael K./Schart, Michael (ed.) (2016). Fremdsprachendidaktische Professionsforschung. Brennpunkt Lehrerbildung. Tübingen: Narr.

Lexical Morphology and Language Awareness: Morpho-Lexical Knowledge as a Constituent of Language Awareness

The study currently undertaken at the University of Paderborn (together with Katharina Hagenfeld and Silvia Sporkmann; research assistants) explores the potential of the interplay of word formation processes and stress shift for raising language awareness in teacher education. The concept of language awareness constitutes a sub-component of the competences presented in the national Bildungsstandards (KMK 2012: 21). However, due to a lack of conceptualisation and empirical evaluation, elements of language awareness remain a ‘black box’ in foreign language teaching (cf. Schmidt 2010: 863). To add to the descriptive basis of language awareness, this study uses Katamba’s and Stonham’s (2006) classification in the field of lexical morphology. Lexical morphology claims that a word’s morphological structure is closely linked to phonological rules that determine the pronunciation of a word (ibid.: 89). The study puts forward the hypothesis that knowledge about this morpho-lexical interdependence correlates with a better performance in pronunciation. The research design makes use of the phenomenon of stress shift in derivatives – a category with a clearly visible effect on pronunciation (ibid.: 89-132).

Designed as a hybrid of experimental design (cf. Nunan 1992: 24 ff.) and educational intervention research (cf. Pressley/Harris 1994: 194-198), participants take part in pre-tests, treatment (control group: zero treatment), post-tests and qualitative retrospective group interviews (experimental group). The overall objective is to use the results of the study for designing a training course on applying insights of lexical morphology to teaching contexts. Preliminary results of the pilot study, as indicated by improved performance in post-tests, suggest a positive effect of morpho-lexical knowledge on pronunciation.

List of References

Katamba, Francis/Stonham, John (2006). Morphology. Houndmills et al: Palgrave McMillan.

KMK (2012). Bildungsstandards für die fortgeführte Fremdsprache (Englisch/Französisch) für die Allgemeine Hochschulreife.[https://www.kmk.org/fileadmin/Dateien/veroeffentlichungen_beschluesse/2012/2012_10_18-Bildungsstandards-Fortgef-FS-Abi.pdf, 03.11.2017].

Nunan, David (1992). Research Methods in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pressley, Michael/Harris, Karen (1994). “Increasing Quality of Educational Intervention Research”. In: Educational Psychology Review, 6 (3).  191-208.

Schmidt, Claudia (2010). „Sprachbewusstheit und Sprachlernbewusstheit“. In: Krumm, Hans-Jürgen/Fandrych, Christian/ Hufeisen, Britta/Riemer, Claudia(ed.). Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache. Ein internationales Handbuch. Berlin et al: DeGruyter. 858-866.