Becoming a mentor: An action research on enhancing an efl teacher's mentoring skills in turkey

The purpose of this research was two-fold: first to explore the nature of mentoring practices and needs in an ELT pre-service education context, and second to design and implement a mentor training programme and identify its impact both on the personal theories of the participants and the mentoring practice under investigation. To serve these aims, an action research model was adopted with the intention of enhancing the mentoring practices of an EFL mentor who worked with three student-teachers throughout the course of this study. In order to gain an insight into the research questions, data were collected by means of repertory grids, interviews, journals, KWL charts and feedback session audio recordings. The data obtained from various data collection tools were analysed through Rep5 Computer Programme and NVivo10 Qualitative Analyses Software. The findings revealed that the mentor training programme implemented produced favourable results both for the mentor and the student-teachers participating in the study. The mentor was evidenced to enhance her awareness of what an effective mentoring actually entails and to extend her mentoring practices and pedagogical knowledge. Through reconstructing her personal theories in the process of mentor training, the mentor was evidenced to develop a more comprehensive conception of mentoring that is more reflective rather than imitative in nature. The findings also showed that the participating student-teachers extended the range of their teaching strategies and skills and that they attributed this development, to a great extent, to the support and guidance provided by their mentor. The study calls for a carefully designed and culturally appropriate mentor training programme in order for the EFL teachers to improve and polish their mentoring skills. The study suggests that through such programmes the quality of pre-service teacher education with specific reference to student-teacher learning and development in the practicum could be enhanced.