Reflective Learning and Identity Construction In Practice, Discourse and Activity: Experiences of Preservice Language Teachers in Hong Kong

Speaker: Dr MAK Wing Wah, Pauline & Dr YUAN Rui, Eric

In this seminar, we will present a study which investigated two pre-service teachers ' reflective learning through a series of integrated and interactive tasks (i.e., collaborative lesson planning, group consultation, microteaching and videoed reflections) in a language teacher education course in Hong Kong. Relying on data gathered from interviews and reflection videos and informed by a tripartite model on teacher identity in practice, discourse and activity, the study revealed how the student teachers engaged in reflective practice and identity construction individually and collectively in the course. Specifically, their teacher identities went through an ongoing developmental process, which did not only concern their practical engagement (i.e., identity in practice) and their use of language (i.e., identity in discourse) but were also associated with the broader sociocultural and historical context (i.e., identity in activity). The seminar concludes with practical implications on how to design and implement effective reflective tasks in preparing and developing competent language teachers.