Teaching Emirati Preservice Teachers to Learn and to Teach English: A Narrative Self-Study

• In Event: Self-Study of Language and Literacy Teacher Education Practices Across Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Contexts

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this self-study is to explore the strategies I use to prepare bilingual Arabic-English Emirati preservice teachers, to improve their English language skills in order to effectively teach English learners in United Arab Emirates (UAE) schools. I asked the following research question: How did I frame and reframe my teaching to improve the language of my Emirati preservice teachers?
Theoretical framework
I draw from multiple theoretical frameworks, which serve as the frameworks and methodology of this study. Hamilton and Pinnegar (1998) describe the self-study of teaching practice as reframing; that is, the systematic reflection of teacher educators to “open themselves to new interpretations and to create different strategies for educating students” (p. 2). This study also draws on narrative inquiry. Connelly and Clandinin (2006) define narrative inquiry as “the study of experience as story …” (p. 375). Narrative inquiry is most suited to this study because during narrative inquiry “We are, as researchers and teachers, still telling in our practices our ongoing life stories as they are lived, told, relived and retold” (p.9). This study also uses sociolinguistic and social constructivist theories. Sociolinguistic theory explores language use in diverse societal contexts. The social constructivist perspective takes into account how individuals learn through negotiation and co-constructing knowledge (Palinscar, 1998).
Methods and Data Sources
The UAE is located in the Middle-East near the Persian Gulf. In the UAE, student experiences in learning Arabic and English have been very traditional, involving rote level drill and practice (Moussly, 2010). Consequently, at the university in this study, many students still struggle with English even though the university provides an intensive English program for students whose English language proficiency scores are low. Students have to achieve particular scores in order to take their general education courses. It is against this backdrop that I explored my teaching of Emirati preservice teacher ELLs.
I use narrative exemplars to tell my story. Narrative exemplars are “… intentional, reflective human actions, socially and contextually situated” (Lyons and LaBoskey, 2000 p. 21). In the telling and retelling of my experiences I reframed and re-conceptualized my teaching practices (Hamilton & Pinnegar, 1998; Loughran, 2002; Loughran & Northfield, 1998).
Participants in the study consist of 30 preservice teachers who were majoring in English language teaching and early childhood education and took my courses in language and literacy over a period of 4 years. The data sources consist of my journal reflections, field texts and student assignments.
Results
As the literature indicates, strategies that integrate the teaching and assessment of all four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and emphasize literacy teaching and learning are helpful in improving the English skills of Emirati preservice teachers. The findings also demonstrate the importance of explicitly discussing with preservice teachers strategies they can use to improve their English language and that of the children they will teach. The results are particularly significant for planning and developing curricula for preservice teacher candidates who are English language learners and plan to teach English learners in schools.

Author

• Patience A. Sowa, Educational Consultant