Second Language Teacher Education Today

Abstract

Second Language Teacher Education (SLTE) is affected by two factors; a rethinking of its knowledge base and instructional practices as a response to changes in our understanding of the nature of SLTE, as well as external pressures resulting from the expanded need for competent language teachers worldwide. The impact of these two factors is seen in the growing professionalism of the field with the need for acceptance of standards, a rethinking of the knowledge base of the field, a move towards a sociocultural view of teacher learning, a focus on teacher cognition as the underpinning of teacher practice, acknowledgement of the role of teacher identity in teaching and teacher learning, implementation of collaborative approaches to SLTE, the need for greater accountability, as well as critical perspectives on teacher education. These factors are examined and their implications discussed for theory and practice in SLTE.