Improving teacher Training in Japanese and European contexts: Meeting challenges and creating opportunities

This symposium goes into qualification needs for teachers in socially and linguistically diverse classrooms: in Japan and in Europe. Results are presented from large scale national surveys among secondary school teachers. These include possible barriers to and new opportunities for competence-based curricula proposals for pre- and in-service training of all teachers.

JACET SIG on English Language Education developed the Japanese Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (J-POSTL) in 2010. It was adapted from the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL). First the background of the Japanese project is briefly sketched, followed by the outcomes of the 2012 survey among 5,658 Japanese English teachers working for a variety of secondary education schools. What steps have been taken to develop a workable prototype? And how to explore the ways to overcome the challenges in order to make J-POSTL an effective and integral component of teacher training programs for future language educators in Japan?

Then the focus switches to the recent initiative for teacher training in Europe, that is, the European Core Curriculum for Teacher Training (EUCIM-TE Project). The Dutch presenters elaborate on teacher competences needed to cope with differences in literacy, a challenge teachers are facing on a daily basis. Since language is central to teaching, these differences cause problems in all courses and is essential for school success. How do teachers perceive, manage, and evaluate differences in literacy (levels) in the classroom? In the Netherlands semi-structured interviews were conducted with 230 secondary school teachers. Questions concerned the perception (by teachers) of differences in literacy (levels) in class, the background of the students and the extent to which the assignments given are understood by the students.

Eventually the symposium discusses the implications from the country-wide surveys in Japan and the Netherlands. How to prepare (novice) teachers properly to meet their challenges and contribute to school success?

The aim is establish possible barriers to and new opportunities for competence-based curricula proposals for pre- and in-service training of all teachers. A discussiant from Australia will put everything into the local and global perspective.