Theory-oriented teaching practice in a school-university partnership: Insights from student teachers of English

Abstract

This qualitative study explores how student teachers of English in a Norwegian teacher education program experience theory-oriented teaching practice within a school-university partnership. Data were collected from two sources: 1) a reflection session immediately following a teaching trial attended by both university and practice teachers, and 2) interviews with three participating students. The data analysis was guided by thematic analysis.  

One of the key findings is that student teachers experience a shift in focus towards their own learning when engaged in theory-oriented teaching practice. This contrasts with ordinary teaching practicums, where their focus is more directed towards pupils’ learning. We argue that theory-oriented teaching practice makes the learner role explicit during teaching activities, enabling student teachers to cross boundaries between the fields of theory and practice. We conclude that a closer school-university partnership is an important premise for deliberately connecting English language teaching (ELT) theory with classroom teaching, allowing students to achieve a deeper level of reflection on their teaching practices. This study, therefore, contributes to the ongoing effort to bridge the gap between theory and practice in teacher education. It offers an example of how theory-practice integration can be enhanced through a school-university partnership within university courses.