English Department, Farhangian University, Sanandaj, Iran
Abstract
This study investigated how several pre-service EFL teachers in an undergraduate programme engaged in a series of collegial discussions after their student teaching experiences over the third year of the programme and how the collegial interactions nurtured their professional development. The individual interviews and group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed in verbatim. The findings indicated that the active participation of the participant teachers in collegial discussions following their student teaching experiences facilitated learning in a collaborative learning community. The participants shared their personal practical experiences, scaffolded their peers and developed their professional knowledge in several aspects. Their awareness of pedagogical challenges was raised and they addressed their learners'' needs and learning strategies in real classroom settings more effectively. The collegial interactions focused on the transfer of theories learned from the disciplinary textbooks to the pedagogical realities of the EFL educational settings. The engagement of the student teachers in collegial discussions made them reconsider their pedagogical beliefs and practices.
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