© 1994 by Oxford University Press
Articles |
Language development provision in teacher training curricula
British Council English Language Teaching Officer. He is the Adviser for Institutional Development on the ODA-funded Sri Lanka Teacher Education Project. He holds an MA in English from Cambridge University and an MA in Applied Linguistics from the Institute of Education, London University. Previous postings have taken him to Oman, Kuwait, Iran, and France. Particular interests in the field include the teaching of literature, and reading and curriculum development.
Recent thinking on teacher education has emphasized the range of methodological training options available. It is argued here that, in developmental educational contexts, modalities of training have to be worked out in relation to the need to develop the most valued aspect of a non-native English teacher's competencea high level of English language proficiency. The second part of the article gives the results of a survey of Sri Lankan teacher trainees' views on language development provision in their institutional training curriculum. The findings provide strong support for curriculum revisions that would intensify the focus on trainees' language competence during formal training.