Date
8-9-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)
Chair
Janet Deck
Keywords
English as an additional language, phenomenological, ESL, pedagogical content knowledge
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Wall, Keithe, "English as a Second Language Teacher Training in China: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5840.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5840
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand and describe the lived experiences of foreign university English as an additional language instructor in China who had or were currently teaching at the tertiary level as it relates to teacher training and preparation programs. The theory that guided this study was Shulman’s Theory of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, as Shulman’s theory clearly defines the knowledge that instructors must possess to be effective, and teacher training and preparation can be more clearly understood through Shulman’s framework. The study’s methodology was a phenomenology design. Purposeful sampling was implemented. The study was conducted using online conferencing software. Individual interviews, a focus group, and journal prompts were the data collection methods used. Data were analyzed according to Moustaka’s procedures for phenomenological data analysis. Six themes emerged from the data; the six themes were: job of opportunity, the absence of structured teacher training, and acknowledgment of inadequate training. Outlier themes that arose included: impostor syndrome, education as a business, and expectation of self-study and education. Qualitative analysis indicated that foreign university English as an additional language instructors deemed employer-provided training inadequate, leaving instructors feeling underprepared for the classroom. Despite these challenges, there was a notable appreciation for collaborative training approaches, such as peer mentorship and observation, which participants found beneficial for their professional development. The study highlighted the urgent need for structured, comprehensive teacher training and preparation programs for foreign ESL instructors in China.
