The language learner as teacher: the use of interactive diaries in teacher training

Abstract

This article describes the piloting of interactive learner/trainee diaries as part of a short pre-service teacher training course. The outcome of the experiment suggests that the formal inclusion of adult learners in the training process provides trainees with access to essential information about the learning process, learner criteria for effective teaching, and the importance of affective factors in ensuring a mutually rewarding teaching encounter. It is suggested that, by listening to learners' voices, trainees can begin to see their learners as educators with a valuable contribution to make to their development as teachers.