Exploring New Directions in the Preparation of Beginning Foreign Language Teachers
Richard Donato and Kristin Davin, University of Pittsburgh

This workshop presents two approaches to teacher education that have not commonly been used in the preparation of beginning foreign language teachers -- the use of 1) co-planning in a lesson study-centered course and 2) high leverage practices as an organizing principle of the foreign language teacher education curriculum. The workshop will provide first-hand accounts of experiences with these two approaches, including descriptions of the planning and implementation process, analysis of instruction during the course, videos of actual teaching practice of the beginning teachers following university-based classroom instruction, the role of theory and professional knowledge, and student opinions of these two approaches. The workshop will be organized as a working group of teacher educator professionals who will collaboratively explore the potential of these two approaches, the integration of lesson study with high leverage practices, and the practical and theoretical challenges that may emerge.