Teaching Internship Programme’s Impact on English Language Teaching Skills: Evidence from Student-Teachers in Ghana’s Universities and Colleges of Education (Published)
Diverse opinions on the value of student internships in Ghana are expressed in the literature. This study examined the effects of the teaching internship program on the English language teaching abilities of student teachers. The Experiential Learning Theory (ELT) was used in the study. The research is a descriptive survey that was conducted in Ghanaian universities and Colleges of Education (CoEs). We used a basic random sampling procedure to select a sample of 286 respondents. A closed-ended questionnaire with an excellent internal consistency and a reliability coefficient of 0.75 was used to obtain the data. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed improvements in all areas assessed, including the capacity to explain English language concepts, employ a variety of communication techniques, involve students in class discussions, give constructive criticism, answer questions from students with assurance, and convey lesson objectives. The findings also revealed positive effects across all measured domains including improvements in the ability to maintain classroom discipline, manage time during lessons, deal with disruptive behaviors, create an engaging and inclusive learning environment, organise classroom activities and assignments, and use positive reinforcement to manage student behavior. The study concludes that the teaching internship meme is highly effective in developing communication and managerial skills of interns essential for successful English language instruction in Ghanaian classrooms. It was recommended that the institutions should enhance the teaching internship program by integrating advanced communication techniques, comprehensive classroom management training, and increasing mentorship and resources for lesson planning. Introduce regular evaluations and reflective practices to improve student-teachers’ skills. Additionally, management should promote collaboration between the University of Education, Winneba, and affiliated CoEs to standardize effective teaching practices.
Keywords: Effects, English Language, communication, internship programme; student-teachers, teaching skills