What’s in it for me: mentors’ perspectives on their role in language teacher education in the Czech context.
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF TEACHER EDUCATION |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2025.2514642 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2025.2514642 |
| Keywords | mentoring; English language teacher education; student teachers |
| Attached files | |
| Description | The role of mentoring in Czech teacher education has evolved, with increased emphasis on student teachers’ practical experience. However, the lack of clarity surrounding mentors’ roles, combined with a shortage of available schools, burdens untrained mentors and leads to varied relationships with universities and teacher educators. Our qualitative study involved interviews with English teachers from Czech secondary schools, exploring mentors’ perspectives and experiences of mentoring. Although there is limited literature and practice on mentoring in the Czech context, studies from other settings underscore the significance of mentor-student teacher cooperation for professional development. Also highlighted are variations in mentor roles, their perceived value, and differing expectations and standards between mentors and mentees. These findings support the need for systematic mentoring evaluation and the development of competency-enhancing programmes. |