earticle

영어

Identity formation, and transformation, is an ongoing process throughout our lives, and in the various parts of our lives (family, work, and play). Professional identity clearly will change over the course of our careers. The importance of supporting pre-service (and in-service) teachers through this identity development process was the impetus behind encouraging students in a pre-service teacher training program to reflect on their beliefs about teaching and their self-efficacy as teachers. A small-scale survey study was done with pre-service Korean EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers, where they were asked about their beliefs with respect to what a teacher is, does, etc., and then asked whether they consider themselves to be teachers, or to be ready to be a teacher. The surveys were given at the beginning and end of a semester, and students were also asked how their beliefs had changed over that period of time. The results reveal five themes in their beliefs about teachers (subject knowledge, transmission of knowledge, teaching methodology, teacher roles, and teachers as role models); generally low teacher self-efficacy at this early stage in their teacher training; and some changes in their beliefs and their knowledge base over the study period. The study reinforces the need to support PSTs as they develop their teacher identity and teacher self-efficacy.