English language teaching in teacher education: A personal epistemology account

Burgeoning research in the field indicates the importance of teachers’ personal epistemology as a foundation for their professional practices. Personal epistemologies refer to descriptions of the beliefs that teachers hold about the nature and sources of knowledge. Although this understanding is in place, most studies have focused on examining personal epistemologies drawn from practitioners in school contexts. Accordingly, there is limited research describing university academics’ personal epistemologies. To address this knowledge gap, in this conceptual paper I discuss my personal epistemology on the theoretical perspectives that underpin my instructional practices in English language teaching. Specifically, the paper focuses on the theoretical perspectives that shape the curriculum, as well as the pedagogical choices that are made in facilitating learning for student teachers in English as a Second Language (ESL) programmes in initial teacher education. Based on the discussion, I affirm the importance of personal epistemologies in framing professional development for university academics. This personal epistemology account may help instructors structure their own epistemic reflection practices as a strategy for enhancing their teaching practices.