Pre-service teacher education programs are available at universities and polytechnics; although, there is one major difference between both. While polytechnics qualify teachers only for the first and second “ciclos”, universities qualify teachers for the third “ciclo” and secondary education (if necessary, these teachers may also teach in the first and second “ciclos”, but the reverse situation is impossible).
As for preparing language teachers (regardless of the language), in the recent past, there has been no single model followed by every university. The frameworks available vary between four and six years; however, with the implementation of the Bologna Process, BA degrees have now been condensed into three years plus two more for the MA degree. One major difference that has been verified at universities is that, while prior to the Bologna Process teacher education was recognized at a BA level, it is now currently recognized as an MA degree. Ceia (2010) illustrates how current ELT teachers (and all others) prepared for lecturing in Portuguese basic and secondary education have graduated in one of the following possibilities (frameworks date from 1984 [DL 34/1984] until now [DL 43/2007]):
- BA (=Licenciatura) plus pre-service teacher education (total 5 years) - BA (=Licenciatura) plus pre-service teacher education (total 6 years) - BA integrating pre-service teacher education (total 4 years)
- BA (=Licenciatura) integrating pre-service teacher education (total 5 years) - BA (=Licenciatura) plus pre-service teacher education (= Master degree) (total
Traditionally, teacher education programs have prepared foreign language teachers in two languages, Portuguese + another foreign language or English + another foreign language72 . However, after the implementation of the Bologna Process, the specialization in Portuguese + English (the most popular one) was eradicated, while the rest was maintained (Table 3.4.).
This reorganization of teacher preparation courses brought about several issues, of which two are here highlighted. On the one hand, if a BA graduate in Portuguese and English Studies (which existed prior to the Bologna Process) decides to enroll now in the teaching MA, they will need to complete an extra course in a second language (at least 60 ECTS credits) to apply to the MA program. On the other hand, those who hold a BA in English Studies (with 180 ECTS credits, like in any other bilingual BA degree) will never be admitted as candidates in the English teaching MA degree. Even though their degrees encompass the most credits in English, as they do not have any in another foreign language, they are denied access.
Table 3.4. Curricular Frameworks for Language Teaching MA
Domains qualified
to teach Levels/stages comprised
Minimum number of credits for each
teaching area
Portuguese teacher 3
rd “ciclo” of basic education
and secondary education
120 ECTS in Portuguese 40 ECTS in classical
languages
Portuguese teacher + of another foreign language
(except English)
Portuguese: 3rd “ciclo” of basic education and secondary
education; Foreign language: basic education and secondary
education
100 ECTS in Portuguese 60 ECTS in the foreign
language English teacher + of
another foreign language in basic education (3rd “ciclo”) and secondary education
English and other foreign language: 3rd “ciclo” of basic
education and secondary education
100 ECTS in English 60 ECTS in the foreign
language
Furthermore, when analyzing the teaching programs offered at public universities73,
72 Portuguese and English can pair with other foreign languages, namely: French, German and Spanish. 73 The universities referred to here are the University of Coimbra, Lisbon, Minho and Porto, as well as
the New University of Lisbon – universities which offered the MA in English + another foreign language between 2011-2013 (years in which the study here presented was carried out).
these are structured in a way that emphasis is placed mainly on language didactics and pedagogy, rather than on multidisciplinary contexts and on the promotion of dialog between foreign languages and other disciplines. Ceia (2010) considers the latter issues to be especially necessary in today’s multicultural society, when he argues “an English Language teacher has to have this ‘imperative understanding of social, cultural, educational and linguistic issues involved in the teaching of English in different national and professional contexts’.” Bearing in mind Ceia’s arguments, teacher education should rest on a research-based foundation, in which, according to Hannele Niemi (a teacher education expert from the University of Helsinki and designated by the European Commission to be a part of a group to establish common European values for teacher competences/qualifications) the three basic conditions that should be fostered include: 1) teachers’ knowledge of the latest developments in research for the subjects they will teach, so as to adapt and innovate to how content can be taught/learned in different situations; 2) how teacher education itself ought to be an object of study and research, which can deliver feedback on the efficacy and quality of teacher education in various environments; and 3) adopting a research- oriented outlook towards teaching by employing an analytical attitude on their own observations and work, so as to improve the teaching/learning circumstances. By undertaking a similar approach, trainees are able to assimilate theory and practice, both in the university environment and during their traineeship in schools.
It is this idea of adopting a research-based approach, which has led to the study presented in this dissertation – how teacher education programs prepare future ELT teachers for today’s language use. It is crucial then that these programs understand how pre-service teachers identify the teaching profession, themselves as teachers, their personal and professional identity, language norms, and the nature of communication and language, so as to acquire and develop important pedagogies throughout the program.
3.6. Summary and final remarks
Descriptions of ELF use are now well underway around the globe, but, as it was noticed throughout the chapter, those centered on the European continent prove that
the English of Europe is in reality very different in form and function from the English that has been promoted by European educational policies (Seidlhofer 2010). For that reason, this chapter began by exploring the presence of English throughout Europe, followed by its pervasiveness in all levels of educational contexts. Due to its singularity, the Common European Framework of Reference was also reflected upon so as to understand how its guidelines do no quite reflect the current linguistic situation of English language use, when compared to other languages.
After taking into account the European context, the field of study was narrowed down to the Portuguese panorama – the context in which the study, presented in the following chapter, was carried out. This second part of the chapter began by providing a historical description of the presence of English in Portugal, especially on its current widespread use in a variety of domains. Afterwards, foreign language teaching was taken into account, as well as how its role within the education system has evolved from past to present, giving specific attention to ELT.
Upon analyzing the current curricular programs in the several “ciclos”, it became clear that despite recognizing the international role of English, these continue to foment a standard outlook towards language and ELT. Students are in fact encouraged to view their own culture as well as that of others; however, these are mainly centered on a British or American outlook (and in some cases with references made to other native English speaking countries). In linguistic terms, once more, British and American English continue to be the standard varieties chosen, not only for use in the classroom, but also in the teaching resources suggested by the programs. Bearing this in mind, it is evident that, if ELT classes are to adapt and assimilate to the current use of the language, a more international outlook focusing on communication between NNSs is necessary. However, for this type of an approach to be put into practice, teachers need to be educated and trained in order to know how this may be taught in practice. For that reason, the following study centers its attention on pre-service teacher education programs as central for promoting and encouraging new and additional outlooks to language teaching.
Chapter 4
ELF and teacher education programs in Portugal: A study
“I think everything is important, especially nowadays that we live in a global world.” (Interviewee 2)
4.1. Introduction
After analyzing the major issues regarding English (as a lingua franca) and language teaching, both globally, and nationally within the Portuguese scenario, it became clear that in Portugal, there is a gap in what concerns language use, what is effectively noted in curricular programs and what is taught. Teacher education courses therefore play an imperative role for ELT teachers to be aware of the changing conceptualizations of the language, along with its shifting prospects. This group of professionals should not only prepare learners for the sociolinguistic realities they will contend with, but, in order to do so, they also need to stay continuously abreast with the current mutable international linguistic scenario. It is with this last requisite in mind that this study was developed, so as to establish what steps may be taken.
The chapter begins by presenting the two main research questions developed in the study, followed afterwards by a description of the research context, the quantitative and qualitative methods used for data collection (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews), and a description of the participants. Only afterwards is the collected data analyzed, bearing in mind three main areas: a) trainees’ attitudes toward English and their own language use, b) trainees’ attitudes about students’ motivations and language learning, and c) trainees’ attitudes toward their role as teachers and ELT in general.
With the answers from the study it is understood to what extent trainees have an ELF-aware outlook or a more native and standardized perspective of the language. With the feedback received it also becomes perceivable in what areas teacher programs can integrate innovative ways of looking at the language and its teaching, an issue that is further developed on in the last chapter of this dissertation.