The European language portfolio in pre-service teacher education in Ireland : reflection, interaction and autonomy

Abstract

This study examines the impact of autonomous language teaching and learning, supported by the European Language Portfolio, in the context of the Post Graduate Diploma in Education in Ireland. The research study took place over a two year period: 2003-2005. It is not a longitudinal study. Year 2 further examines in a more focused way, issues that emerged in Year 1. The study takes an action research approach. My concern was that there was a lack of coherence in the interaction among educators and between educators and student-teachers, and that a ‘banking’ model of teaching and learning was prevalent. Data Collection Methods -- A multi-method and multi-perspective approach was used in the collection of data during each year of the study. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected. In general, data for educators was collected in the context of focus group discussions, data for student-teachers in the context of semi-structured interviews, and data for post-primary pupils was collected by questionnaire. Data was supplemented where possible by student-teachers’ pedagogical projects and/or reflective writing. Triangulation was used to validate findings. In Year 2 data for individual student- teachers was linked to that for their educators and to data for the particular class they taught in order to create a more composite picture of the impact of autonomous teaching and learning.