The UAE English pre-service teachers' field experiences challenges: Coping to teach within a major curricular reform

Sahar Ali Mohammed Salem

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges the UAE University English Pre=service teachers faced their field experience within a major curricular reform the study focused on five UAEU English pre=service teachers enrolled in a practicum course during their field experience and their five cooperative teachers. A semi structured- structured interview. A questionnaire and an observation checklist were employed to explore the field experience challenges that the UAEU English pre – service teachers uncounted. The use of multiple resources helped to create a general profile and in turn helped to improve the trustworthiness of the research findings. The implication derived from this study indicated that the UAEU English pre-service viewed themselves as unprepared to meet the curriculum reform requirements

The finding revealed that although the UAE English pre service teachers were well prepared to teach English language. The discrepancy between their university coursework and their field experience was apparent. Finally, the study findings revealed that most of the UAEU English pre-service teacher’s challenges were around centered knowledge of subject matter of mathematics, science and knowledge of curricular.