A Program for Preparing Ethnic Minority Student Teachers for Practicum

Abstract

This paper presents information on the perceived concerns and challenges of non English speaking background (NESB) students prior to and during teaching practicum. Whilst NESB student teachers perceived similar anxieties about practicum to their peers, they also confront language, communication and cultural differences which may hinder their successful completion of field experiences in schools. In an attempt to increase completion rates, programs designed to build confidence and teaching skills of NESB student teachers have been identified. The present paper describes the development and implementation of such a program funded at an Australian university