A Study On The Changes In EFL Student Teachers'Anxiety Level Through The Teaching Practicum

As a bridge connecting the theory and practice,teaching practicum is of great significance to the development of prospective teachers.However,switching roles from learners in college to teachers in schools can be a demanding task.Thus,teaching practicum can breed anxiety among student teachers.Besides,considerable evidence indicates that different levels of anxiety have different impacts.Therefore,the anxiety level of prospective teachers in their teaching practicum is worth attention.Although anxiety among student teachers has long been significant issues in research and practice globally,scanty attention has been awarded to changes in anxiety level among EFL student teachers throughout the teaching practicum.Thus,this study intends to survey 49 postgraduate EFL student teachers from a two-year M.Ed.program in Central China Normal University,using both questionnaires and semi-structured interviews,to investigate the changes in student teachers' anxiety level throughout the teaching practicum(prior to the teaching practicum,in the middle of the teaching practicum,in the end of the teaching practicum)and to explore the reasons behind these changes.The research questions guiding this study are listed below:1)How does the anxiety level of EFL student teachers change through the teaching practicum?2)What are the possible reasons underlying the anxiety level changes?The study has yielded some meaningful results as follows.First,the majority of student teachers have experienced a moderate level of anxiety throughout the whole teaching practicum.However,the overall anxiety level of student teachers has experienced significant changes.Specifically,it firstly witnesses an increase from before the teaching practicum to the middle and then a decrease from the middle to the end.In addition,the anxiety level in all the five categories:professional preparation,evaluation,classroom management,staff relations,pedagogy also witnesses an increase from before the teaching practicum to the middle and then a decrease from the middle to the end,which is in line with the changes in student teachers' overall anxiety level,and other than the category of staff relations,these changes are also significant.In addition,in terms of the increasing anxiety level from before the teaching practicum to the middle of the teaching practicum,the most commonly shared causes are as follows.First,poor professional capacity,manifested in teaching design,classroom management,language proficiency,insufficient knowledge reserve and teaching students in different levels;Second,failed collaboration with supervisors,including cooperation in class observation,cooperation in teaching design,and inharmonious relationship;Third,immature interpersonal skills that would adversely influence the communication with supervisors and the rapport with students;Fourth,external expectation and evaluation from both students and supervisors;Last,unsuccessful time management and peer pressure.Considering the decreasing anxiety level from the middle to the end of the teaching practicum,the reasons can be concluded as follows.First,lowered expectation of teaching performance and rapport with supervisors;Second,accumulated experience manifested in familiarity with the daily work,improved professional skills,and better interpersonal skills;Third,external assistance including supervisors' support and proficiency as well as peer coaching;Last,positive evaluation from both supervisors and students.