Universal Journal of Educational Research

Cephas Makwara

Durban University of Technology - Indumiso Campus, Imabali, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Pre-service teacher practicum is generally conceived of as a rite of passage into the teaching profession as it socialises and exposes trainees to their eventual workplace, the classroom and school environment to contextualise theoretical knowledge gained in university. The process also offers student teacher exposure to teaching real learners in real classrooms. Given these central roles of teaching practice, this paper explores the extent to which Bachelor of Education pre-service teachers from one South African university are adequately prepared for teaching practice. Qualitative data generated from 20 student teachers through a questionnaire with open ended questions, complemented by focus group discussions were analysed through open coding. Data from both questionnaires and focus group discussions suggests that student teachers were adequately prepared in content, pedagogical aspects like lesson preparation, questioning techniques, learner assessment and professionalism. It also emerged that pre-service teachers were not prepared adequately for classroom management, learner discipline, and teaching practical lessons. It also emerged that student teachers were not exposed to peer and micro-teaching. Student teacher preparation for teaching practice should include teaching practical aspects of their subjects, classroom management and exposure to peer and micro teaching as this is the starting point for building education as a profession with real opportunities for growth that sustain a teacher's craft over their career, not just a couple of years.