Foreign language teacher education in Guyana: Theory and practice

Abstract

This case study focused on: 1) the examination of one instance of foreign language teacher education--the preparation of secondary school teachers of Spanish in Guyana; and 2) the elaboration of an appropriate programme of professional education for Guyanese foreign language teachers, after analysis of relevant contextual factors. Professional training of language teachers was conceptualized as a "system," and a model of the determinants of language teacher education was used to focus on the factors that influence a programme, and determine its form, content, and methodological procedures. Following this model, an analysis of the total context in which Spanish is taught in Guyana revealed urgent training needs. The proposed programme took into consideration constraints of length, time, and facilities available for training, and had to be accommodated within the general philosophic framework of the educational system, which emphasizes the development of human resources and favours a cooperative above a competitive orientation. It aims at developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed by foreign language teachers in Guyana in order to fulfil their teaching functions. It also aims at producing teachers who can relate theoretical and practical aspects of foreign language teaching, and devise strategies for the Guyanese classroom situation