Developing language-aware immersion teacher education: identifying characteristics through a study of immersion teacher socialisation

ABSTRACT

Language aware schools need to be supported by language aware teacher education. In this study we analysed teacher socialisation among class teachers in Swedish immersion in Finland by qualitative content analysis of immersion teacher group discussions. We found that immersion teacher socialisation occurred mainly after entering the profession, as the participants had not participated in immersion themselves and had not attended a teacher education programme specifically designed for immersion. Based on the findings related to immersion socialisation we argue how the teacher education needs to be developed in order to better support teacher socialisation for language aware schools.

KEYWORDS:

• Immersion education
• language immersion
• teacher education
• language awareness
• teacher education
• immersion teacher socialisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency: [grant number 606695-EPP-1-2018-2-FI-EPPKA3-PI-POLICY]; the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland.

Notes on contributors

Annika Peltoniemi

Annika Peltoniemi is a PhD Student in educational sciences at the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies at Åbo Akademi University, Finland.

Mari Bergroth

Mari Bergroth is Docent in Education, PhD, Senior Research Associate at the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies at Åbo Akademi University, Finland.