Teacher education and curriculum studies in second language education

• Sandie Mourão [coordinator] (NOVA FCSH)
  Ana Gonçalves Matos (NOVA FCSH)
  Ana Leão (NOVA FCSH)
  Andy Sampson (FLUP)
  Beatriz Moriano (NOVA FCSH)
  Carlos Ceia (NOVA FCSH)
  Carlos Lindade (FLUP)
  Carolyn Leslie (NOVA FCSH)
  Catarina Castro (ESECS / Politécnico de Leiria)
  Helena Mota Lopes (Nova Ágora – Centro de Formação de Associação de Escolas)
  Isabel Orega (Universidade do Algarve)
  Luís Nunes (AEFundão)
  Margarida Coelho (Politécnico de Portalegre)
  María del Carmen Arau Ribeiro (Politécnico de Guarda)
  Maria Ellison (FLUP)
  Maria Isabel Mendonça Orega (Universidade do Algarve)
  Rima Jay Prakash (NOVA FCSH)
  Rosana Fernandes Durão (Universidade do Algarve)
  Rúben Correia (Universidade do Algarve)
  Teresa Maló Sequeira (Universidade do Algarve)

Projects

Current research projects

Name: “Transforming assessment mindsets: Professional development through a blended MOOC” (TAM-bMOOC)
Principal Investigator: Sandie Mourão (CETAPS/FCSH)
Co-Principal Investigator: António Teixeira (Universidade Aberta)
CETAPS researchers: Carolyn Leslie, Catarina Castro, Isabel Orega, Rosana Durão & Teresa Sequeira.
Dates: January 2023 – December 2025
Funding body: Funded through CETAPS FCT funding nº UIDP/04097/2020
Link: [Coming soon]

Past research projects

Name: “Intercultural Citizenship Education through Picturebooks in early English Language Learning” (ICEPELL) [intersectional with Intercultural studies in second language education]
Coordinator: Sandie Mourão (CETAPS/FCSH)
CETAPS researchers: Ana Gonçalves Matos
Dates: 1 September 2019 – 31 August 2022
Funding body: Funded through Erasmus+ project nº 2019-1-PT01-KA203-061353
Link: Project website

Name: “Mapping Approaches Project: TEYL in the practicum: mapping supervisory and teaching approaches” (MAp)
Coordinators: Flávia Vieira (Universidade do Minho) & Sandie Mourão (CETAPS/FCSH)
CETAPS researchers: Carolyn Leslie
Dates: February 2018 – December 2020
Funding body: Supported by Higher Education Institutions associated with the PEEP Network
Link: Project information & publications

Name: “Assessment in primary English education in Portugal: Teachers’ Perceptions and practices”
Coordinator: Sandie Mourão (CETAPS/FCSH)
CETAPS researchers: Carolyn Leslie
Dates: October 2017 – December 2020
Funding body: Supported by CETAPS/FCSH and CIEd, Universidade do Minho
Link: Project information & publications

Name: “Pan European Task-based Activities for Language Learning” (PETALL)
CETAPS researchers: Isabel Orega & António Lopes
Dates: 2012 – 2015
Funding body: Funded through Erasmus project nº 530863-LLP-1-2012-1-NL-KA2-KA2MP
Link: Project website

Resource title: Intercultural Citizenship Education through Picturebooks in early English Language Learning (ICEPELL) [intersectional with Intercultural studies in second language education].
Description: An Erasmus + project which aimed to support practitioners to confidently integrate intercultural citizenship education into English as a foreign language lessons and library sessions with children aged 5 to 12 years using picturebooks. The project’s outputs, a handbook and teaching resources, are available to download.

Resource title: Picturebooks in European Primary English Language Teaching (PEPELT)
Description: A social media project (2018 – 2023) to help teachers critically explore, select and use picturebooks which enable children to address global issues and promote positive change inside and outside the classroom.

Resource title: Primary English Education in Portugal (PEEP)
Description: An interinstitutional network to promote the engagement in and dissemination of investigation in the field of primary English education in Portugal with a focus on supporting and promoting practitioner-based, classroom research and inquiry.

Outreach activities

The researchers in this Strand are actively involved in teacher education and development, so much of their outreach activity is associated with in-service professional development provision.

Professional development provision:

 Title: “Narrativas multimodais nas aulas de inglês e espanhol como Línguas Estrangeiras”
Description: An innovative online course given in English and Spanish for secondary teachers who belong to the English and Spanish recruitment groups (25-hour accreditation – CCPFC/ACC-120295/23).
Teacher educators from CETAPS & CHAM: Beatriz Moriano, Helena Lopes, Neus Lagunas, Sandie Mourão
Date: 3 – 17 July 2023

Title: “ICEPELL Profressional Development Course” (Autumn ICEPro Course)
Description: Part of the ICEPELL Project, this was the revised hybrid workshop which combined face-to-face and virtual training, practical implementation and mentoring. It was accredited by APPIforma but run through CETAPS/FCSH (50-hour accreditation).
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Sandie Mourão & Ana Gonçalves Matos
Date: 8 November 2021 to 31 March 2022

Title: “ICEPELL Profressional Development Course” (Spring ICEPro Course)
Description: Part of the ICEPELL Project, this was a pilot course which combined online training, practical implementation and mentoring. It was accredited by APPIforma but run through CETAPS/FCSH (50-hour accreditation).
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Sandie Mourão & Ana Gonçalves Matos
Date: 3 March to 31 May 2021

Title: “Ensino de Línguas Baseado em Tarefas: princípios fundamentais e modo de implementação”
Description: Online course for English teachers (recruitment groups 120 and 220). Associated with post-doc project. Accredited through Centro Luís Krus – FCSH/UNL (24 hours)
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Catarina Castro
Dates: May & June 2020 (2^nd edition); January 2021 (3^rd edition)

Title: “Reflexão e supervisão pedagogica na sala da aula de Inglês no 1ºCEB”
Description: A course for 1st cycle cooperating teachers (24-hour accreditation – CCPFC-107789720).
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Carolyn Leslie & Sandie Mourão
Date: Academic year 2019 – 2020

Title: “Ensino de Línguas Baseado em Tarefas: princípios fundamentais e modo de implementação”
Description: Face-to-face course for English teachers (recruitment groups 120 and 220). Accredited through Centro Luís Krus – FCSH/UNL (24 hours)
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Catarina Castro
Dates: October 2019 (1st edition)

Title: “Task-based Language Teaching for young learners”
Description: Face to face course for English teachers (recruitment groups 120 and 220), orgnaised through Universidade do Algarve – Escola Superior de Educação, Faro. Associated with Post-doc project. Accredited through Centro Luís Krus – FCSH/UNL (24 hours)
Teacher educators from CETAPS: Catarina Castro
Date: November 2019

Scientific supervision of school textbooks

Carlos Ceia: Seesaw 3º e 4º anos (LeYa, 2015 & 2016)
Carolyn Leslie: Start 3º e 4º anos (Edições Gailivro, LeYa, 2015 & 2016)

Conferences

Date: 14 October 2023
Event: “PEEP’23:  Enhancing classroom practices and children’s learning experiences” – a virtual event.
Coordinators: Carolyn Leslie & Sandie Mourão
Link: Event webpage

Date: 1 July 2023
Event: Colóquio: Margens e ponto para a educação
Coordinators: Carlos Ceia and colleagues
Link: Schedule and speakers

Date: 1 – 2 July 2022
Event: “The ICEPELL Hybrid Conference” – a hybrid event
Coordinators: Sandie Mourão & Sónia Ferreirinha (APPI)
Link: Event webpage

Date: 18 March 2022
Event: “Formação de Professores e Estatuto da Carreira Docente: Um colóquio para preparar o futuro” – a hybrid event
Coordinators: Carlos Ceia & Vítor Teodoro Duarte
Link: Information & YouTube recording

Date: 24 – 26 June 2021
Event: Picturebooks and graphic narratives in education and translation: mediation and multimodality – a virtual event. [intersectional with Translationality]
Coordinators: Sandie Mourão & Karen Bennett
Link: Event webpage

Date: 12 to 14 November 2020
Event: “Teachers and teacher educators: Education and professional development for early language learning” (TEdELL2020) – a virtual event.
Coordinators: Sandie Mourão & Carolyn Leslie
Link: Event webpage

Date: 8 June 2018
Event: “Picturebooks and graphic narratives in the classroom” – a one-day seminar.
Coordinators: Sandie Mourão, Rogério Puga & Ana Margarida Ramos

Transforming assessment mindsets: Professional development through a blended MOOC
(TAM-bMOOC Project)

Project dates: January 2023 – December 2025
Coordination: Sandie Mourão (CETAPS)

Contextualisation

Classroom-based assessment is seen as ‘principled ways of collecting and using evidence on the quality and quantity of people’s learning’ (Rixon, et al., 2019, p. 1). Regarding early language learning (ELL), traditional assessment methods associated with tests are considered problematic because they do not contemplate attitudinal and motivation goals, oral skills, or intercultural communicative competence. Assessment practices have not accompanied the introduction of English at earlier ages, and assessment remains troublesome. This is due to inadequate planning during policy implementation, assessment being at odds with the playful, oral-based approaches of ELL programmes and the influence of general education which overlooks the specificities of ELL (Mourão, et al.,2021). Teachers play a crucial role in the decision-making process which impacts on classroom-based assessment, and improved assessment literacy can overcome negative mindsets towards assessment amongst teachers and stakeholders. Despite being one of the most relevant aspects of teacher education, it has been a pressing issue for decades and teachers continue to require a deeper understanding of ‘the purposes of and social role of assessment in education’ and to grasp ‘the link between various assessment purposes, tools or instruments, methods and the curriculum’ (Papp, 2019, p. 400).

Research in Portugal (Moreira et al., 2021) has identified an incongruence between teaching and learning goals in ELL teachers’ classroom-based assessment practices, which is confounded by an absence of training in assessment, misunderstanding learning outcomes, traditional cultures of assessment and professional isolation. Recommendations highlight the need for an efective, nationwide intervention to upgrade the assessment literacy of Portuguese ELL teachers that changes mindsets and classroom-based assessment practices and counters professional isolation.

MOOCs combine ‘autonomous and self-directed learning with a strong social dimension and the interaction that make learning experiences richer and more rewarding’ (Teixeira, et al., 2015: 146). MOOCs are relatively under-researched for professional development, yet they have proven to enhance pedagogical knowledge, improve classroom practices, promote collaborative learning and contribute to continuous PD. They facilitate peer exchange, contribute to building a community, involve peer review activities, use content as a trigger for learning through reflection, sharing and exchange, facilitate transfer to practice and are flexible (Herz, et al., 2021).

The TAM-bMOOC project aims to upgrade the assessment literacy of primary English teachers and investigate the efectiveness of the instructional design features of a blended Massive Open Online Course (bMOOC) ‘Classroom-based assessment in primary English education’ to stimulate a change in mindsets and classroom practices and foster a sense of community.

The project team of researchers coordinated through in CETAPS (FCSH/Universidade Nova de Lisboa) involves the collaboration of LE@D (Universidade Aberta) together with external consultants. It brings the expertise of scholars working in the fields of primary English teacher education together with those in e-learning.

Funding: The TAM-bMOOC Project is funded through [CETAPS’s FCT funding nº UIDP/04097/2020]

References:

Hertz, B. & Engelhardt, K. (2021). Using personalized support & school-based study groups to increase teachers’ participation in MOOCs – findings from two European pilot projects. IUL Research, 2(3), 3-20.

Mourão, S., Leslie, C., Moreira, M., & Monteiro, E. (2021). Battling against a traditional assessment culture: The case of early English learning in Portugal. In C.Bongartz & J. Rymarczyk (Eds.), Current research into young FL and EAL learners’ literacy skills. (pp. 141-164). Peter Lang.

Papp, S. (2019). Assessment and young English language learners. In S. Garton & F. Copland (Eds.), Routledge handbook of teaching English to young learners. (pp.389-407). Routledge.

Rixon, S., & Prošić-Santovac, D. (2019). Introduction: Assessment and early language learning. In D. Prošić-Santovac & S. Rixon (Eds.), Integrating assessment in early language learning and teaching practice (pp. 1-18). Multilingual Matters.

Teixeira, A., Mota, J., García-Cabot, A., García Lopéz, E. & y de-Marcos, L. (2015). A new competence-based approach for personalizing MOOCs in a mobile collaborative and networked environment. RIED, 19(1), 143-160.

Visiting scholars

Doctoral student research visits

Supervisor: Sandie Mourão

• Janire Guerrero Gómez (University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Spain) – research visit to CETAPS (30 January to 30 April 2023)
• David Valente (Nord University, Bodø Campus, Norway) – research visit to CETAPS (15 September 2021 – 15 January 2022).
• Elisa Bertoldi (University of Udine, Italy) – research visit to CETAPS (30 June – 15 July 2022).
• Karoline Søgaard (Copenhagen University College, Denmark) – research visit to CETAPS (1 – 31 October 2022).

Post-Doctoral Researchers:

Supervisor: Sandie Mourão

• Dr José Jaime Pérez Segura (University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain) “The analysis and evaluation of oral skill development and its assessment in primary English coursebooks: A comparative study between Portugal and Spain” – research collaboration and mentorship (March 2024 – September 2024)
• Dr Mercedes Pérez Agustín (Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain) “Resources for picturebooks about Native Americans to develop intercultural citizenship in primary and secondary English language education” Research collaboration and mentorship (October 2022 – February 2023)

Supervisor: Carlos Ceia

• Dr Catarina Castro, “Teacher training for Task Based Language Teaching” Post-doctoral Project with TEALS – Teacher Education and Applied Language Studies (October 2018 – October 2020).
• Dr Hélder Fanha Martins, “Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games and Incidental Lexical Learning in English for Specific Purposes”, Post-doctoral Project with TEALS – Teacher Education and Applied Language Studies (October 2017-October 2019).
• Dr Nicolás Montalbán (Universidade de Múrcia, Espanha): “Developing materials for English for Specific and Professional Purposes”, Internship in Lisbon (FCSH), 2-16 Julho de 2017.
• Alexei José Esteves Xavier: “Management education to study in Brazil, Portugal and England, with a variant of the English language” (CETAPS/FCSH, 2016).