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

Getting the practical teaching element right

> Theory and practice

Literacy, numeracy and ESOL teacher education programmes include both a
theoretical taught element and a practical teaching element. For pre-service
trainees the practical element comes in the form of a teaching practice
placement, while for in-service trainees this is usually provided by their place of
employment. For the purposes of this document, the terms ‘teaching practice’ or
‘placement’ are used to refer to the experience of both pre-service and in-service
trainee teachers.

Inspection reports (Ofsted 2003 and 2006a) and research evidence (Lucas et al.
2004; Lucas et al. 2007) suggest that while the taught ‘input’ sessions are being
delivered effectively, the practical elements are weak and do not sufficiently
support the development of trainee teachers:

There is still a striking contrast between the quality of the taught element of
ITT courses, which is generally good, and the quality of the practice elements,
which is inadequate. (Ofsted 2006a)

Trainees often experience the theoretical and practical elements of the course as
quite separate and disconnected. The challenges faced by teachers in working
with learners are often insufficiently addressed within the taught element of
programmes. A number of factors contribute to this.

There is often a physical separation between the taught elements of the courses
and the teaching practice placements as the trainees are usually based in a
different organisation for their teaching practice. There is often a complete
division of labour between the training team in the teacher training institution
and the people organising and supporting the teaching practice placements.

Trainees often experience the theoretical and
practical elements of the course as quite
separate and disconnected.

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