On the major challenges in the early training of Slovak pre-service teachers

Barbora Pavelová, University of Prešov, Slovakia;          Abstract: Interaction in the classroom has found a profound interest in the works of many scholars in recent years. Given the dynamic nature of all activities carried out in language classrooms, there is an assumption that teacher’s talk promotes interaction. Moreover, what raises questions for researchers is the beginning of pre-service teachers’. Their teaching path reflects a unique challenge with regard to communication in the classroom. The aim of presented article is to introduce the current views on Slovak students of EFL teaching programs in their final year at the second level of university in asking questions during the educational process. The article aims to compare and elaborate sufficient (or insufficient) readiness of pre-service teachers in linking theory with practice based on the observation and self-reflection before teaching practice, during teaching practice and after teaching practice. The research methods used consist of Flander’s observation tool that was adjusted aiming at the teacher’s talk. A significant factor for research process was to get self-reflection of pre-service teachers that enabled to gain the insights of their perception of the main challenges and sufficient/insufficient readiness in terms of communication in the EFL classrooms. The article presents current findings and brings the possibilities for improving pedagogical communication of pre-service teachers.

Keywords: pre-service teachers, interaction, observation, self-efficacy, self-reflection, teaching practice, educational process