Framing, reflecting on and attending to a rationale of teaching of writing in the second language classroom via journaling: A case study

Second language pre-service teachers in their final field experience are faced with many challenges as they move from student to professional teacher. During a particularly intense period of transition, they confront new information and issues as they move forward into actual classroom teaching. Guided reflective journals provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to examine their situation, looking at the various input, which allows them in turn to examine their rationale of teaching. This case study examines one pre-service teacher's initial perceptions of the teaching of writing in the second language classroom and the changes manifested as tracked through her journal entries and subsequently demonstrated in her beginning and ending teaching philosophy statements. Through constant comparison methodology, the data suggest that pre-service teachers are capable of addressing and solving problems that they encounter in their coursework which will allow them to become more effective practitioners. The implications of the study suggest that pre-service second language teachers should be encouraged to move beyond simply learning information; rather they can be guided in their reflections about what is happening to inform their developing teaching skills to the benefit of their future students.