ERIC Number: EJ1322246
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1354-0602
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Exploring the Ideal Foreign Language Teacher Profile in Spanish Preschools: Teacher Education Challenges
Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, v27 n8 p713-729 2021
The democratisation of early childhood education and care and the promotion of plurilingualism across Europe have facilitated the implementation of educational projects and research on early language learning at the pre-primary stage. However, in Spain and similar foreign language (FL) education contexts, it is not clear who should be implementing this early introduction of the FL, what their qualifications should be, or what preparation they require. The objective of this study was to identify the most adequate teacher profile for this language education. A Delphi research design was applied focusing on three main concerns: the most suitable teacher profile, the required qualifications, and the necessary preparation. Ninety-nine experts participated in two rounds of questioning: one qualitative with an open-ended online questionnaire and another quantitative, wherein experts' degree of agreement was recorded on a Likert scale online questionnaire. Results suggest that an early childhood educator with at least an upper-intermediate level in the FL seems to be the most suitable profile. However, experts considered adequate preparation is necessary at both the pre-service and in-service stages, covering language improvement, specific pedagogy, and child's development.
Descriptors: Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Teacher Qualifications, Likert Scales, Preschool Education, Preschool Teachers, Teacher Characteristics, Language Proficiency, Teaching Methods, Child Development, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Language Teachers, Profiles, Foreign Countries, Teacher Education Programs, Specialists, Delphi Technique
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A