{"title":"Tutors’ and Tutees’ Behaviors, Attitudes, and Perspectives Regarding EFL Peer Tutoring in Higher Education in Mexico","authors":"Janeth Sanchez-Aguilar","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.87744","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.87744","url":null,"abstract":"This article reports on the findings of a mixed methods research study on tutors’ and tutees’ behaviors and attitudes during the tutoring sessions and their perceptions about English language peer tutoring at a bilingual, international, and sustainable university in central Mexico. Observation, peer assessment, and semistructured interviews results suggest that tutees and tutors asked and answered questions and had a positive attitude towards error correction in almost all the sessions. Likewise, they reveal that participants clarified doubts, seemed motivated, motivated their peers, and had a constructive attitude towards teaching and learning from a peer most of the time during the tutoring. Furthermore, results indicate that the participants were positive about the experience, the sessions, their peers, and the influence in their learning.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78237880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Exploring the Reasons Behind Iranian TEFL Graduate Students’ Academic Failure","authors":"M. Alemi, Atefeh Rezanejad, Bijan Marefat","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.89251","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.89251","url":null,"abstract":"This cross-sectional study explored the reasons behind academic failure among Iranian students of teaching of English as a foreign language. Interviews were used to collect data from 56 graduate students (19 men and 37 women) and three officials of the university. Results indicated that four main factors led to the academic failure of the students, namely, (1) the student, (2) the professor, (3) the university, and (4) the source materials. Moreover, the results of chi-square tests indicated that no significant relationship existed between the gender and age of the students and their academic failure. Finally, a number of guidelines to prevent academic failure in this context are presented.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90180851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cross-Disciplinary Lessons in an Elementary Public Institution","authors":"J. Quintero, D. Álvarez, Andrea Arcila","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.83889","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.83889","url":null,"abstract":"This article reports the results of an action-research study, carried out in the fourth grade of a Colombian public elementary school, which sought the integration of the teaching of English and the natural sciences through cross-disciplinary lessons that followed the principles of content-based instruction. Observation, action plan, and evaluation were the ongoing research stages. Interviews, workshops, and the students’ portfolio were the main instruments used to collect data. Results revealed that the cross-disciplinary lessons were appropriate and useful to connect the foreign language learning with other school subjects. Beginner students of English demonstrated an enhancement in the communicative skills and developed contextualized learning strategies, which proved the importance of integrating English with scientific contents as a contribution to curriculum innovations.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76132062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Embracing Conceptualizations of English Language Teacher Education From a Complexity Perspective","authors":"Martha Garcia-Chamorro, Nayibe Rosado-Mendinueta","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.82765","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.82765","url":null,"abstract":"Current conceptualizations of foreign language teacher education fail to represent the complexity of such education. This reflection highlights the need to embrace English language teacher education from a complex perspective. To explain this position, we define complex systems and complexity principles through examples of interconnected components of teacher education. Then, we trace emergent conceptualizations from theory and governmental documents that resonate with a complexity perspective. We suggest that efforts in this direction may better prepare prospective English teachers to face challenging realities in educational settings and will eventually improve students’ learning, an outcome every stakeholder is aiming at.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90462640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Language Pedagogy and Teacher Identity: A Decolonial Lens to English Language Teaching From a Teacher Educator’s Experience","authors":"Diego F. Ubaque-Casallas","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.90754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.90754","url":null,"abstract":"This paper describes a narrative study that emerged from various conversations with an English language teacher at a public university in Bogotá, Colombia. This research is based on intersectional narratives to locate the intersections between English language pedagogy and the identities of English language teachers. Second, the study examined discourses that can construct English language pedagogy and teachers’ identities by avoiding simplistic generalizations and essentialisms. Findings suggest that although there are still colonial roots that repress other ways of being and doing, English language pedagogy goes beyond the instrumental sense of teaching. As such, English language pedagogy is about transformation as it is never static because it is an extension of identity.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88314562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Critical Reading With Undergraduate EFL Students in Colombia: Gains and Challenges","authors":"Juan David Castaño-Roldán, Doris Correa","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.89034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.89034","url":null,"abstract":"This qualitative study explored the gains and challenges experienced by an interdisciplinary group of English as a foreign language students who participated in the implementation of a critical reading unit taught within a reading comprehension course at a university in Medellín, Colombia. To do this, video-recordings of all lessons, samples of students’ work, and students’ reflections were collected. Results show that students experienced several gains but also had some challenges related to aligning with the author’s position, seeing positionality in factual texts, and taking middle positions. These results suggest that even though it is not only possible but beneficial to do critical reading with undergraduate English as a foreign language students, there are some specific areas in which these students need additional support.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74765737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. X. Bonilla-Medina, Karen Vanessa Varela, K. Garcia
{"title":"Configuration of Racial Identities of Learners of English","authors":"S. X. Bonilla-Medina, Karen Vanessa Varela, K. Garcia","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.90374","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.90374","url":null,"abstract":"Racial identity, as well as other social identities, is intrinsically related to language learning. Nevertheless, this relationship has been taken for granted. Despite research done in the area, not a lot has centred explicitly on finding the connections between race and language learning. This article addresses that point in an attempt to shed light specifically on English language learning and teaching. We used a qualitative research methodology to analyse oral and written narratives that were produced by participants telling their experience as English language learners. This article underscores the results that relate language learners’ racial experiences as a crucial factor in the configuration of their identity as well as the economic, social, and cultural factors involved.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75227636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Expressive Writing to Relieve Academic Stress at University Level","authors":"Juanita Argudo","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.90448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.90448","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports on a descriptive mixed-method study that aimed to identify the impact of expressive writing on relieving the academic stress of 157 undergraduate students at an Ecuadorian university. Data were gathered through two questionnaires and from focus groups. Results showed enduring relief of academic stress. Furthermore, they help to shed light on the need to study the impact of academic stress on university students and to look for different strategies that can alleviate it. These findings could help to understand students’ needs, as they have essential implications in teachers’ practices and, consequently, in students’ performance. In conclusion, expressive writing has a positive effect on helping to ease academic stress and overcome some difficulties caused by this issue.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75147399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Approaching Teaching as a Complex Emotional Experience: The Teacher Professional Development Stages Revisited","authors":"Perla Villegas-Torres, M. Lengeling","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.89181","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.89181","url":null,"abstract":"Along the evolving teaching journey, teachers experience a series of events that allow them to transition from novice to expert. Throughout the years, such transition has been the object of theories and debates about how this process is carried out, and when it is that teachers move from one stage to the other. This article presents a study of a Mexican teacher of English and examines the professional-developmental stages based on Huberman’s (1993) career cycle model. Its aim is to understand the challenges and decisions a teacher may encounter in her or his career. The article shows the realities a teacher faces by exploring the concepts of emotions, identity, socialization, and agency. Moreover, it questions the belief that teachers achieve expertise through accumulating years of practice.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86542522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Profile in Quartile 1 of the SCImago Journal Rank","authors":"M. Cárdenas, María Claudia Nieto-Cruz","doi":"10.15446/profile.v23n2.96647","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v23n2.96647","url":null,"abstract":"In the 2020 report of the SJR (published in May 2021), the Profile journal moved from Quartile 2 to Quartile 1 in the category of linguistics and language. Within this area the journal is now Number 229 of the 997 journals classified worldwide, Number 2 in Latin America, and Number 1 in Colombia.","PeriodicalId":45095,"journal":{"name":"Profile-Issues in Teachers Professional Development","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2021-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87100293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}