A Study Of The Impact Of Feedback Information On English Interns' Instructional Practice

Classroom practice during practicum enables pre-service teachers to experience individualized differences in students and apply what's been learned in courses in real classes.Feedback has an essential role to play in pre-service teachers' classroom instruction.Thus,this research aimed at examining the perceptions of two pre-service English teachers regarding feedback information received to their instructional practice during a field experience program,which was provided by a key provincial normal university located in the central China.Taking into consideration of the distinct characteristics of English teaching,the author found it necessary to find out the impact of feedback information on student teachers' instructional practice,so as to provide insights to individuals responsible for student teachers' development.The study was guided by the following three research questions:(1)What kinds of feedback do interns receive during the practicum?(2)What's the interns' perception of the impact of different types of feedback on their teaching instruction?(3)What are the shortcomings of current feedback practice?Data concerning with participants' perceptions of the impact of various forms and sources of feedback towards their instructional practice embedded within the practicum was collected via observations(including class observations and observations of peers and supervisors giving feedback)and interviews.Participants identified regular face-to-face feedback as more beneficial.This kind of feedback is usually characterized as being directive,detailed and parallel,and is often perceived by the interns to make a profound and positive effect on their instructional practice.Post-class feedback,as well,shares these characteristics and extends positive influence on interns classroom instruction.And the triad sources of feedback was viewed as complementing each other.However,there also emerged some negative attitudes toward feedback.For example,interns generated a sense of disappointment because of the insufficient feedback.The results of this study proposed that feedback giving activity should be gained great attention by responsible individuals in the student teaching practice,which could be made fully use of to optimize prospective teachers' instructional practice and the cultivation of prospective teachers during the field experience.