Exploring a Practice-Based Approach
to Foreign Language Teacher
Preparation: A Work in Progress
Francis J. Troyan, Kristin J. Davin,
and Richard Donato
Abstract: This article describes the implementation of a practice-based
approach to foreign language (FL) teacher preparation. After briefly framing
the discussion in relation to the literature on the practice-based approach in
teacher education – including Phase I of the American Council on the Teach-
ing of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Research Priorities – we present the imple-
mentation and integration of this approach in the context of FL teacher
preparation. The successes and challenges encountered throughout the imple-
mentation experience are discussed, and recommendations are made for prac-
tice-based course design in FL teacher preparation programs and for future
research on the practice-based approach.
Keywords: foreign language teacher preparation, high-leverage practices,
practice-based approach, teaching methodology, teaching practicum
Re ´sume ´: Cet article de ´crit l’exe ´cution d’une approche a ` la formation des en-
seignants base ´e sur la pratique. Apre `s un re ´sume ´ de recherches pre ´ce ´ dentes – y
compris la Phase I du projet « Research Priorities » de l’American Council on
the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) – l’application de cette approche
dans la formation des enseignants de langues e ´trange `res est pre ´sente ´e. Fonde ´s
sur cette e ´tude exploratoire, les re ´ussites et de ´fis de l’exe ´cution de cette ap-
proche sont examine ´s. Dans la perspective de cette expe ´rience, des conseils
sur le planning d’un cursus de pre ´paration des enseignants de langues e ´tran-
ge `res base ´ sur la pratique sont propose ´s. Des directions de recherche futures
sont sugge ´re ´es d’apre `s les re ´sultats de cet e ´tude.
Mots cle ´s : formation des enseignants de langues e ´trange `res, pratiques pe ´da-
gogiques a ` impact e ´leve ´, approche base ´e sur la pratique, me ´thodologie de
l’enseignement, travaux pratiques d’enseignement
The purpose of this article is to describe and examine the implementa-
tion of a practice-based approach in foreign language (FL) teacher
preparation. A practice-based approach differs from what may be
called a “traditional approach” to pre-service teacher education by
© 2013 The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes,
69, 2, (May / mai), 154–180 doi:10.3138/cmlr.1523