Parallel Teaching in Primary School Language Courses: Voices from EFL Teachers
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universidad Católica Luis Amigó
Abstract
This interpretive phenomenological study aimed at unveiling the meanings that, based on their lived experiences, five primary school English Foreign Language (EFL) teachers assign to Parallel Teaching at a Colombian private school. Data were collected through the implementation of photovoice, semi-structured interview, and focus group interview techniques. Findings revealed the relevance participants attach to specific personal and professional conditions to co-teach; the need for playing flexible roles to meet school expectations, and for embracing individual differences; the recognition of unexpected challenges, as well as what they consider strategies to cope with these. This study provides insights into how EFL teachers have lived one model of collaborative teaching (co-teaching) in their unique context, and how this experience guides their practice. It argues the need to surpass the existing theoretical frameworks to co-teach, and to understand this phenomenon from teachers’ voices, in order to adapt and contextualize co-teaching models, instead of adopting and forcing their implementation in educational scenarios.
Description
Keywords
English Foreign Language teaching, Collaborative Teaching, Co-teaching, Parallel Teaching, Phenomenological research, EFL teachers’ voices