Peter B. Swanson

The Power of Belief: Spanish Teachers' Sense of Efficacy and Student Performance on the National Spanish Examinations

In this study, the researcher investigated Spanish teachers’ sense of efficacy as it relates to their students’ achievement on the AATSP National Spanish Examinations. Results suggest that there is a link between Spanish teacher efficacy and students’ scores on the exams. That is, the higher one’s belief about his or her abilities to teach Spanish, the higher the students’ scores on the exams. Teacher efficacy also was found to be related to participants’ future vocational plans: whether they remain teaching or leave the profession. This research has implications for teacher preparation and professional development highlighting the importance of building a strong sense of efficacy in teaching Spanish.

The congruence of vocational interests and the workplace environment: Reducing the language teacher shortage

There is a shortage of second/foreign language (S/FL) teachers in many parts of the world, and the rates of attrition are cause for alarm in North America. Canadian and US teachers’ (N = 323) were administered the Self-Directed Search vocational interest inventory and the Coping in Stressful Situations scale. Results from this quantitative study confirmed the vocational profile of an efficacious second/foreign language teacher and revealed significant differences in coping styles between those teachers with and without the vocational profile. Additionally, data analysis indicated that the Social, Artistic, and Enterprising profile is directly related to teacher longevity in the profession. The research has implications for the recruitment and retention of S/FL teachers at a time of critical need.

Ready, Set, Recruit for Teaching.

The prime time to talk with teenagers about becoming a teacher is when they are 15 or 16 years old.

Improving Second Language Speaking Proficiency via Interactional Feedback.

Researchers have suggested that interactional feedback is associated with foreign/second language learning because it prompts learners to notice foreign/second language forms. Using Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and Long’s interaction hypothesis as conceptual frameworks, this study explores the use of systematic explicit feedback to undergraduates (N = 1180) at three assessment points throughout one semester using digital voice recording technology for oral assessments. Results indicate that statistically significant differences were found in pronunciation, linguistic structure, and content from the first to last observation. Findings suggest serious implications for improving speaking proficiency, which promote the use of combining digital technology for oral language formative and summative assessment with quality, systematic, and in-depth feedback to students.