چکیده:
This study aimed at gathering data through an open-ended
questionnaire and the analysis of portfolios developed by EFL
studenty teachers in the second semester of the academic year
2004-2005. The purpose of the study was to investigate the issue
that EFL student teachers acted as change agents in their
practicum course to improve the teaching performance in the co-
operating schools where they trained to be future teachers.
Seventy six (76) EFL student teachers participated in this study
who were taking the practicum course in the above-mentioned
semester.
The findings of the study were many and diverse as they flew
from the data gathered through the open-ended questionnaire and
the analysis of portfolios produced by EFL student teachers in the
above-mentioned academic year. They revealed that the student-
teacher's contribution to the improvement of the school teaching
were represented in the new ideas and methods about teaching
English provided to school teachers, the use of worksheets, new
teaching aids, new techniques about classroom management and
handling English language learners' problems. Other benefits
included giving remedial lessons to low-achieving students
Among the challenges EFL student teachers encountered were the
resistance to change of some co-operating teachers and the
maintenance on their traditional perspectives about teaching, lack
of school resources and lack of encouragement from some school
teachers and principals to the student teachers in their practicum.
In the light of the findings of this study, the researcher
recommended that the interaction between the student teacher and
the co-operating teacher needs to be much more monitored by
university supervisors to ensure that the student teachers could
apply what they subscribe to and believe as right during the
practicum course