Preservice Teachers’ Envisioning of ELT in the Post-Pandemic Era: An Exploratory Study of Korean EFL Teachers

Teachers' accountability has arisen to swiftly respond to changes in teaching and learning in the time of COVID-19. Many researchers and educators have responded to the inquiry for envisioning teacher education during the pandemic; however, there is a dearth of research on preservice teachers' envisioning of English language teaching (ELT). Drawing upon the sociocultural perspectives of teachers and teaching, therefore, this qualitative study provided a glimpse of EFL preservice teachers’ envisioning of ELT through their perceptions, experiences, and reflections regarding the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Thirty-five EFL preservice teachers in South Korea participated in this study. Data included interviews, observations, fieldnotes, and argumentative essays written by the participants. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The study revealed three major findings. First, the participants perceived and envisioned ELT with emphasis on human interactions, task-based teaching, individualization, and technology use. Second, the participants indicated that teachers should play a major role to ensure effective language teaching. Third, the participants stated that preservice teachers need to be well-prepared in teacher education for the post-COVID-19 era. These findings suggest that teacher education should consider the needs and prospects of preservice teachers in the uncertain circumstances of the post-pandemic era.