1. What are the goals of a TESOL practicum as a student teacher in your opinion?

Why
practicum abroad?
I believe that one of the main goals of a TESOL practicum as a student teacher is learning how to
translate the theory and methods that have been learned in class to the classroom. As with any
subject, there is often a gap between theory and practice. Cahn's article pointed this out well in
its discussion of "reality shock" and the many tensions student teachers face between the
methods they learned in class and the methods actually used by their cooperating teachers. The
example that really resonated with me was the tension the Vietnamese student teachers felt
between the ideal method of using exclusively English in the classroom and the reality of having
to use Vietnamese. I think it is easy for idealized visions of the classroom such as this to develop
if theory alone is studied without being supplemented by experience in classroom instruction.
This is because theories are no more than theories and cannot be used in their entirty in many
situations. For this reason, I believe student teaching is a valuable time to see firsthand how other
teachers translate the theories they have learned into an effective method for classroom
instruction and for student teachers to try to make these adjestments themselves.
I think practicums abroad are particularly valuable for TESOL practicums as every country has
different education models. For example, in the United States class participation is highly
encouraged and often required. In contrast, Japanese students are discouraged from discussing
topics actively in class. It is highly likely that teachers in TESOL will encounter students from a
range of educational backgrounds. Therefore, it is necessary for them to be able to translate what
they have learned in class not only to classrooms running on the United States' education system,
but to a more diverse realm of educational systems. Practicums abroad help to develop this skill
by giving student teachers the opportunity to directly learn about an educational system different
than their own and practice adjusting the methods they have learned to match these
environments.
2. What challenges of a TESOL practicum have been reported in the literature? What
potential challenges you might face during the TESOL practicum in Korea?
One of the major challenges discussed in Cahn's article is the fact that cooperating teachers are
often chosen based on availability rather than being qualified to supervise student teachers. This
means that many cooperating teachers are unsure of what exactly their role and responsibilities
are, preventing them from creating the optimal environment for student teachers' development.
Furthermore, cooperating teachers may be too busy to give detailed feedback to student teachers
due to time constraints. This robs student teachers of a valuable opportunity to reflect upon their
teaching methods. Finally, student teachers are often not adequately trained to handle the realities
of the classroom. This inhibits student teachers" abilities to learn to teach as they have to
overcome "reality shock" along with all of their other responsibilities.
While I have some experience teaching, it has been a long time since I've had to make lesson
plans and I have never taught in an environment quite like a Korean classroom. For this reason,
it is likely that it will take time for me to adjust to the Korean style of education and to translate
what I have learned so far into effective teaching methods. I also anticipate challenges in
building a realtionship with my cooperating teacher as I know relationships between those of
different age and standing in Korea are quite different from those in the United States. While I

do have the benefit of knowing about these differences before my departure, it is still something I
will have to be actively concious of.
3. What would you expect from faculty supervisors and cooperating teachers in Korea?
I expect frank and helpful feedback on my performance. As a non-educaiton major, I also expect
some guidance in teaching methods. I also expect an atmosphere of mutual respect and openness
as I believe that makes for a productive work environment. Finally, I expect help not only in the
realm of education but also in the realm of culture as cultural understanding will also be
necessary for me to teach effectively.
4. How do you think the practicum abroad experience will affect your perceptions of
teaching English (and your career goals in general)?
I'm excited to experience English education in a classroom atmosphere. Up until now I have
primarily taught conversational English in a relatively casual manner. I believe this practicum
will allow me to see another facet of English education including formal lesson plans and a focus
on a wider range of skills. I also believe this practicum will help me to better understand English
educaiton in South Korea. I have read a lot on the subject, so I am very excited to experience
what I have read firsthand and make my own observations. I also believe that this practicum will
help me to decide if TESOL really is the field I wish to enter in the future, and, if so, if I am
interested in teaching abroad or am more interested in teaching domestically.
5. Finally, what did you take away from this article?
This article caused me to think about the importance of reflection when participating in a
practicum. While writting lesson plans and observing lessons are also very valuable, this is a
very good opportunity for me to be able to get feedback from experienced teachers and to
evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching methods. I also realized the importance of adjusting
teaching methods to match student needs as what is ideal in theory may not be ideal for all
classes depending on their skill, composition, etc.