Article published In:
Australian Review of Applied LinguisticsVol. 36:1 (2013) ► pp.102–115
‘Qualified’? A framework for comparing ELT teacher preparation courses
There is no standard way via which to measure the ‘qualified’ English language teacher in a way that is meaningful to institutions seeking to employ teaching staff. This is significant given that candidates may differ markedly in their language competence, knowledge about language, methodological skills and ability to explain and justify their praxis and operate in intercultural spaces. In this article, we propose a framework, based on Bourdieu’s (1986) ‘forms of capital’, with a view to helping stakeholders articulate and evaluate teachers’ skills. To demonstrate how this framework might be used, we apply it to two English language teacher qualifications that have wide professional currency: CELTA courses and Masters degrees in ELT/Applied Linguistics.
Keywords: language teacher expertise, ELT qualification standards, ‘qualified language teacher', Language teaching capital, Master's degrees in TESOL, CELTA, interculturality
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