Teaching English in Multigrade Schools: From Teacher Education to Classroom Realities

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined multigrade education policies, pre-service English teacher education practices, and the classroom realities of novice teachers when teaching English in multigrade schools in rural Ecuador. Methodology: Using a case study design, data were collected through document analysis and in-depth interviews with two pre-service English teachers who taught in two multigrade schools as part of their practicum. The document analysis phase provided insight into teacher education practices and the policies for multigrade education, while the interviews revealed classroom realities and how new teachers are prepared to encounter those realities. Results and discussion: The results of this study indicate that the policies introduced for multigrade education provide suitable recommendations; however, multigrade schools are located in rural areas, but teacher education in Ecuador focuses on training teachers for urban settings. This leads newly qualified teachers to resort to improvisation when working in a multigrade context. Moreover, multigrade education in Ecuador is characterized by a lack of English teachers, limited educational resources, inadequate infrastructure, limited technology use, and a lack of a structured English curriculum. Conclusions: To address these challenges, practical recommendations are provided. Moreover, it is recommended to use short but targeted in-service and pre-service multigrade teacher training programs that train rural residents to serve as teachers in their communities.