Pre-service Language Teachers’ Reflections and Initial Experiences on the Use of Textbooks in Classroom Practice

In foreign language (FL) teaching and learning, textbooks provide the major source for both teachers and learners (see e.g., Guerrettaz & Johnston, 2013; Richards, 2014). Although the use of textbooks and other teaching materials is one of the factors that makes the difference between novice and experienced teachers (see e.g., Savova, 2009), too little attention is paid to their use in teacher training programmes (see e.g., Canniveng & Martinez, 2003). Based on research literature and empirical data derived from a questionnaire (N = 51) and interviews (N = 12) among FL teacher trainees during the one-year teacher training programme at a Finnish university, the following questions are addressed: What are pre-service language teachers’ reflections on FL textbooks and their use? What kinds of experiences teacher trainees had with FL textbooks during the one-year teacher education programme? The results of this study give us more information on how language teacher trainees learn to use textbooks and other teaching materials. For instance, it emerged from the findings that the trainees were willing to create learner-centred teaching materials. In addition, the study can give ideas of how to develop courses for FL teacher education in order to pay more attention to a more independent use of textbooks and other teaching materials

Das mehrsprachige Bedeutungspotenzial finnischer Lernender: Die Verwendung der Konnektoren in L3-Deutsch und -Schwedisch

Die Absicht der vorliegenden Untersuchung ist, herauszufinden, wie die finnischen Lernenden ihr mehrsprachiges Bedeutungspotenzial nutzen, wenn sie logische und semantische Relationen zwischen Sätzen ausdrücken, wenn sie auf Deutsch bzw. Schwedisch schreiben. Das mehrsprachige Bedeutungspotenzial wird als Fähigkeit, Bedeutungen in mehr als einer Sprache auszudrücken, definiert. Als Material wird 29 deutsch- und 29 schwedischsprachige Texte verwendet, die von denselben Informant/innen geschrieben sind. Das Material wird mithilfe der Analysewerkzeugen der systemisch-funktionalen Linguistik (SFL) analysiert. Die Analyse zeigt, dass die Lernenden im Großen und Ganzen auf dieselbe Weise Konnektoren in beiden Sprachen verwenden. Im Deutschen kommen jedoch häufiger kausale Konnektoren vor. Im Schwedischen dagegen verwenden die Lernenden oft som (der/die/das) aber seine deutschen Äquivalenten der, die, das kommen fast gar nicht vor. In Zukunft sollte die sprachenübergreifende Verwendung der Konnektoren auch longitudinal studiert, damit die Entwicklung der lexikogrammatischen Ressourcen, die Sätze verknüpfen, besser verstanden werden könnte.Die vorliegende Untersuchung geht der Frage nach, wie Lernende mit Finnisch als Erstsprache ihr mehrsprachiges Bedeutungspotenzial nutzen, wenn sie auf Deutsch oder Schwedisch schreiben und logische sowie semantische Relationen zwischen zwei Sätzen innerhalb eines Satzkomplexes ausdrücken. Das mehrsprachige Bedeutungspotenzial wird als eine Fähigkeit definiert, Bedeutungen in mehr als einer Sprache auszudrücken. Als Datengrundlage werden 29 deutsche und 29 schwedische Texte verwendet, die von denselben InformantInnen verfasst wurden. Das Material wird mithilfe der Analysewerkzeuge der systemisch-funktionalen Linguistik (SFL) untersucht. Die Analyse zeigt, dass der Konnektorengebrauch der Lernenden in beiden Sprachen überwiegend ähnlich ist. Im Deutschen kommen allerdings häufiger kausale Konnektoren vor. Im Schwedischen verwenden Lernende oft som (der/die/das), während die deutschen Äquivalente der, die, das in Lernendentexten nur selten vorkommen. In Zukunft sollte die sprachenübergreifende Verwendung der Konnektoren auch longitudinal untersucht werden, um die Entwicklung dersatzverknüpfenden lexikogrammatischen Ressourcen besser zu verstehen

Culture Teaching Methods in Foreign Language Education: Pre-service Teachers’ Reported Beliefs and Practices

Culture teaching in a foreign language (FL) classroom involves linguistic and cultural knowledge about the target culture as well as pedagogical skills of integrating these into classroom practice. In general, more attention should be paid to culture teaching methods in FL teacher education in order to move from the traditional, teacher-centred approach towards a new dynamic and learner-centred practice. The main focus of this study is on Finnish pre-service FL teachers’ reflections and initial experiences in culture teaching during their one-year teacher education programme at a Finnish university. In 2012–2015, the data was collected through three questionnaires (N = 65) and interviews (N = 10) during consecutive one-year teacher education programmes. In the qualitative and quantitative analysis, we focused on trainees’ reflections on cultural content, methods, and initial culture teaching experiences. The main stumbling blocks in culture teaching emerging from this study were:  the integration of culture into the lessons, the use of the target language, and the use of personal cultural experiences in a pedagogically meaningful way. Based on the results of our study, we suggest that more reflection and work on culture teaching is required to meet the needs of teacher trainees. The results indicate that some development in Finnish pre-service FL teachers’ perception on culture could be observed, e.g. they wanted to promote interaction and share their personal cultural experiences with their students. Furthermore, recommendations for teacher educators regarding how to teach culture teaching, and how trainees could learn to integrate it into lessons are given. Keywords: foreign language teaching and learning; pre-service language teacher cognition; culture teaching; language teacher education</p

Multimodal postcards to future selves: exploring pre-service language teachersâ process of transformative learning during one-year teacher education programme

Given that teaching is a complex task and that teacher education programmes (TEPs) are usually short, it can be difficult to examine the learning process of pre-service teachers. Based on an analysis of previous studies and empirical research, this study examines the learning process of trainee language teachers during a TEP at a Finnish university. Narrative-like visual and written data were collected from the trainee teachers at the onset (N = 51) and end (N = 43) of the one-year TEP. These multimodal data were qualitatively analysed using transformative learning as the theoretical framework. The results of the study revealed that the trainee teachers encountered several disorienting dilemmas at the start of the programme, mostly related to self-esteem as a teacher, classroom work, and subject-matter knowledge. The change during the TEP was seen especially in the increase of self-confidence and in the motivation to work with learners. Additionally, the findings showed that trainees needed more support from their mentoring teachers, especially in terms of working more creatively in the classroom. Moreover, our study provides a method for how pre-service teachers’ learning processes can be captured and reflected during the TEP.KEYWORDS: Pre-service language teachersteacher educationtransformative learning theorydisorienting dilemmamultimodal narratives</p

Finnish University Students’ Views of the Strengths of Foreign Language Courses

Compared with younger language learners, adult learners are assumed to have greater difficulty with language learning, for instance, in reaching native-like proficiency. Most studies in the area of second language acquisition and foreign language education have focused on younger learners, with the research on adult language learning being very limited. Through an analysis of previous studies on adult language learning and small-scale empirical research, this article examines students’ views of the strengths and good practices of foreign language courses in university language courses other than English. The questionnaire data collected from university students (N = 53) learning French, German and Italian as L3/L4 at the language centre of a Finnish university were analysed in a qualitative and quantitative way. The strongest evidence from our study was the indispensable role of teachers in university language courses. The analysis results indicate a mismatch between teacher-led and student-centred pedagogy. On the one hand, adult learners seemed to need strong guidance from the teacher, yet on the other hand, the best practices in the courses were those activities in which the adult learners could produce the target language in interactions with their peers. Finally, the factors that enhance adult language learning in higher education are reflected upon.</p

Elämäkerrallista helskyttelyä.

Panu Rajala: Virvatuli: Eino Leinon elämä. Helsinki: WSOY, 2017, 596 s

Sequences in German grammar teaching:An analysis of Dutch, Finnish and global textbooks

This study investigates whether sequences in which grammar topics are presented in textbooks for German as a foreign language (henceforth GFL) match empirically determined, universal acquisition sequences. Moreover, it explores what patterns course books display regarding a set of grammar structures that are particularly interesting from an L1-perspective. From the literature we know that some grammar phenomena such as verb placement display a general acquisition pattern irrespective of the learners’ L1. In addition, we find L1-specific research such as studies on the acquisition of case assignment for Dutch learners of German. The current study considers a range of Dutch, Finnish, and global textbooks for young adolescent learners (13–15 years) at a beginner level to identify the sequence in which they introduce simple and complex verbal structures, tense, case, and pronouns. Across all these domains, the results display mainly similarities. When differences are found, these are often related to language-specific characteristics of the L1 and the typological distance between the L1 and L2 German, namely when Finns learn German pronouns and separable verbs. Overall, the analyzed teaching materials introduce the majority of the grammar issues in accord with the acquisition sequences but more L1-specific empirical research is necessary. We argue that analyses of grammar sequences in textbooks can be used as input for both SLA/FLA empirical research and theory development, especially concerning the teachability of grammar