1 English Language Teaching and Teacher Education in Neoliberal Contexts -- 2 Theory, Practice and Research on Teacher Learning and Professional Experience -- 3 A Sociocultural Perspective on Second Language Teacher Learning -- 4 Curriculum Design and Partnerships in Professional Experience -- 5 Mentoring in Professional Experience: A Source of Support -- 6 Mentoring in Professional Experience: A Source of Tensions and Emotions -- 7 Identity Development in Professional Experience -- 8 Pedagogical Learning in Professional Experience -- 9 Reflection on English Language Teacher Learning in Professional Experience.

This book examines a range of complex issues concerning the professional experience (i.e., practicum) in English language teacher education with regard to curriculum design and implementation, as well as professional learning. Drawing on a sociocultural perspective, it explores the context of the professional experience, preservice teachers as learners of English language teaching, and the activity of learning to teach English language in connection with interrelated contextual and personal issues: contextual issues such as policies, curricula, university-school partnerships, and mentoring relations are investigated in relation to personal issues such as the beliefs, expectations, prior educational experiences, previous teaching experiences, and cultural-linguistic backgrounds of preservice teachers. In turn, the book addresses professional learning issues, including professional identity development, emotional experiences, and pedagogical learning, in depth. The book delves into the qualitative “fine-grained” aspects of the professional experience while also making valuable conceptual contributions through a sociocultural analysis of the professional learning experience, which can also be applied to research in other teacher education contexts. The findings presented here hold practical implications for English language teacher education in terms of developing a knowledge base for English language teaching and an effective model of professional experience to prepare English language teachers for working in today’s expanded, diverse and dynamic neoliberal contexts.