Investigating the impacts of mentoring experiences during teaching practicum on preservice teachers’ sense of preparedness for teaching: a case study on elt students at ud-ufls.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how mentoring experiences during the teaching practicum impact the sense of preparedness of pre-service teachers for the teaching profession. The study used a qualitative research design. Thirty-seven English Language Teaching (ELT) students in their final year at The University of Danang, University of Foreign Language Studies (UD-UFLS) completed a survey questionnaire about their preparation before joining teaching practicum, the support of their mentor teachers during that time and their preparedness to teach after that. Additionally, fifteen pre-service teachers and four mentor teachers from high schools joined an interview. Five random pre-service teachers were also observed during their teaching practicum. Findings indicated that pre-service teachers were well-supported by their mentor teachers, which significantly influenced their sense of preparedness for teaching. In addition, although pre-service teachers were moderately confident with their teaching skills and knowledge, they showed their need to learn and practice more on assessment skills and the support from the university.