Full Description
This book examines the perspectives and experiences of student teachers who are in the process of becoming secondary school English teachers in Japan. It reports on the trainee teachers' attitudes towards theory and practice in their professional development. Through a discussion of what professional expertise should look like in this context, the book identifies the challenges faced by the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) system in Japan, and suggests support and mediational activities that should be included as components of the ITE curriculum. The book contains valuable rich descriptions of trainee teachers' experiences, and will be of interest to those working in EFL both in Japan and elsewhere.
Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Educational Reforms in Japan
Chapter 3. Professional Development in Initial Teacher Education
Chapter 4. Teaching Culture in Japan
Chapter 5. Case Studies
Chapter 6. Preservice Teachers' Perspectives on Teaching
Chapter 7. Factors that Affect Initial Teacher Education
Chapter 8. Mediational Tools: Narrowing the Gap between Theory and Practice
Chapter 9. A Critical Reflection: Professional Development in Initial Teacher Education in Japan
