Service projects and women's agency in Salalah, Oman: A portrait of pre-service Dhofari English teachers

This research examines the service learning activities and written discourse of pre-service teachers from a cohort of 50 young women who were among the first generation in their community to complete a local university education with BA degrees in English language and literature combined with a subsequent teaching diploma to become English teachers. Based on written reports about service projects completed at the end of teacher training, the dominant theme that emerges is that of women's agency. Discourse analysis is used to create a portrait of how Dhofari women are learning to take agency and gradually developing their own unique views within student-centered learning.

► This study examines the discourse of Arab women preparing to become teachers. ► The socio-cultural context of a southern region in Oman frames the study. ► Service projects show how pre-service teachers were learning to take initiative. ► Their discourse about service projects reveals several forms of agency. ► Implications for improving curricula with service learning are explored.