In-service teachers’ practice of learning to teach, the theory of practice architectures and further education-based teacher education classes in England

ABSTRACT This paper uses the theories of practice architectures and learning to teach to study in-service teachers’ practice of learning to teaching within a further education (FE)-based initial teacher education (ITE) classes at one further education college (FEC) in England. It seeks to answer two research questions: How do in-service teachers learn how to teach within a teacher education classes at a general FE college in England? What site-based factors shape the in-service teachers’ practice of learning to teach? Using an action research methodology, the researcher, a university-based teacher educator, worked with a team of six FE-based teacher educators and their 35 in-service teachers to answer these questions. Drawing on data from six ‘teacher talk’ meetings with the teacher educators and three focus groups with the in-service teachers, the paper builds on and adds to international maps of existing research and knowledge of their practice of learning to teach.