BEING PROFESSIONAL EFL TEACHER IN TEACHING PRACTICUM DURING COVID-19: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY OF SELF-REFLECTION AMONG EFL TEACHER TRAINEES OF A PRIVATE COLLEGE

Abstract

ABSTRACT This research is a qualitative research with an inquiry narrative approach which focuses on how three EFL teacher trainees self-reflect their reports on their professionalism through teaching practicum at different schoolings an also to find out the competencies of professional teacher trainees that they consider important. The researcher collected the data through an interview and analyzed them by transcribing, coding, and constructing. The findings revealed that the three teacher trainees have different competencies. The competencies that are considered important by the participant from senior high school were professional competencies and personality competencies, where the participant has a tendency in terms of character to be an example for students and put forward technical matters and are directly related to teacher performance. Meanwhile, the competencies that are considered important by the participant from vocational senior high school are pedagogic competencies which are more focused on matters in managing the learning process or teaching and learning interactions with students. And the last competency that is considered important by the participant from Islamic senior high school is social competence because the participant is more dominant in matters of communicating effectively with students. The findings are coherent with previoud theories. Prospective EFL teachers have learned that according to teachers, educators should be adequate in all aspects, to achieve thssis “teachers should support a variety of learners to develop competencies and skills, understanding of what they are doing and effective communication”. Furthermore, a professional EFL teacher is a person who has obtained an English teaching credential from a teacher education program, whose education has been recognized by an appropriate teaching grant, and is officially appointed by decision to teach English according to his teaching. For further researchers, the researcher suggests to take from the perspective of a teacher to find out the abilities that an apprentice teacher must possess to become a professional teacher