Getting the practical teaching element right: A guide for literacy, numeracy and ESOL teacher educators

A guide for literacy, numeracy and ESOL teacher educators

> Putting it all together

Teaching, observing teaching and the modelling of good practice should all be
understood as aspects of the practical element of training as they allow trainees
to access a broad range of classroom experience. This wider definition of
teaching practice was mirrored in interviews with experienced teacher
educators. One spoke passionately of the importance of trainees getting as
much classroom exposure and experience as possible through extensive
observation of a wide range of teaching and having the opportunity to identify,
discuss and evaluate key issues.

‘The key thing is that they should have as much time in the classroom as
possible - get them into teaching situations as early and as much as possible.'

Organising courses with group teaching practice in the early stages offers
trainees a high level of initial support. This requires effective links between the
training team and the placement organisation, and a training programme built
around supported teaching practice and ongoing expert feedback on that
practice. This approach, often described as ‘scaffolded’ based on the work of
Bruner and Vygotsky, proposes that as trainees learn, they need gradually
reducing levels of support from their teachers:

‘When students are learning new or difficult tasks, they are given more
assistance. As they begin to demonstrate task mastery, the assistance or
support is decreased gradually in order to shift the responsibility for learning
from the teacher to the students. Thus, as the students assume more
responsibility for their learning, the teacher provides less support.'

Larkin (2001)

Beginning with a group teaching practice model, and then moving on to a more
independent phase where trainees are either out on placements, perhaps in a
buddy system, or teaching in their own workplace but with appropriate and co-
ordinated support, provides trainees with the opportunity to develop as teachers.
As trainees move into the more independent sphere, the strength and quality of
the connection between mentor and trainer becomes critical to the integration
of theory and practice.

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