Investigating Pre-service Teachers' Preparedness for Teaching in Multilingual EFL Classrooms

Abstract

The thesis investigates pre-service teachers' preparedness for teaching in multilingual EFL classrooms. Former research has revealed that pre-service teachers lack the necessary competence in multilingual pedagogies when entering the profession. This results in teachers not knowing how to facilitate multilingualism in the classroom, which inhibits pupils' use of several languages when learning English. To shed further light on this issue, this thesis uses a comparative mixed-method research approach to conduct investigations amongst pre-service teachers enrolled in Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education levels 5-10 and Teacher Training Education levels 8-13. The thesis investigates potential differences in preparedness levels and identifies critical factors influencing preparedness across these educational programs. The following research questions are explored: RQ 1: What factors influence pre-service teachers’ preparedness for teaching in multilingual EFL classrooms? RQ 2: Are there any differences between the two groups (Teacher Training Education levels 5-10 and Teacher Training Education levels 8-13) of pre-service teachers regarding their preparedness for teaching in a multilingual EFL classroom? The mixed-method research is analyzed through a thematic analysis and Microsoft Excel. Findings suggest that external factors such as practical experience and course instruction in multilingual approaches positively influence pre-service teachers' preparedness level. In addition, internal factors such as language background and exposure to language diversity positively influence the level of preparedness. On the other hand, external factors such as the gap between theory and practice, including insufficient examples and instruction on multilingual approaches, lack of knowledge, and lack of focus on the increasing multilingual classroom, inhibit the level of preparedness. Even though findings cannot be generalized due to the small amount of research data, concluding remarks suggest that teachers enrolled in Primary and Lower Secondary Teacher Education levels 5-10 are more positive and open to multilingual EFL classrooms. In addition, more focus needs to be shed on the gap between theory and practice in teacher education programs. It would also be fruitful to look further into the instruction provided through foreign language didactics courses and how it promotes preparedness for teaching in multilingual EFL classrooms.