The Impact of Service-Learning on EFL Teacher Candidates' Academic and Personal Development

Y

17

Service Learning; Preservice Teachers; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; Comparative Analysis; Figurative Language; Teacher Education Programs; Language Teachers; Student Attitudes; Reflection; Altruism; Teacher Student Relationship; Individual Development; Interpersonal Competence; Outcomes of Education; Well Being; Informal Education; Peer Teaching; Teaching Methods; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Academic Achievement; Metropolitan Areas

2165-8714

Despite its well-documented benefits for training a wide range of professionals, including teacher candidates in almost all content areas, the incorporation of service-learning into foreign language teacher education is relatively new, and most research only dealt with narrative accounts of non-work-related charitable activities. Consequently, this study sought to investigate the impact of the 20-hour peer-tutoring project on the teaching beliefs, community service attitudes, personal and professional development of 14 Turkish EFL teacher candidates. A comparison between their pre- and post-service metaphors revealed a conceptual shift not only in their teaching perspectives from the behaviorist to constructivist paradigm for knowledge acquisition, but also in their community partnership approaches from the unidirectional to reciprocal pattern of altruism towards their tutees. The classification of their written reflections into six types of significant learning demonstrated that despite a relatively greater focus on expressing their foundational knowledge and application practices, a more balanced distribution of learning gains was achieved between the two overarching spheres of academic learning and personal growth, when coursework engagement and multimodal reflections were co-implemented. They reported developing effective teacher dispositions, interpersonal skills and social responsibility, valued intrinsic rewards for their contributions to the youth well-being, and also appreciated the informal professional learning opportunities the peer-tutoring service offered, though without establishing their own learning agendas.

As Provided

2020

EJ1241202