Preparing preservice teachers to teach EFL writing: Motivations, perceptions, expectations, and challenges

The standard of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has prompted calls for reform to preservice EFL teacher education. Field experiences are central to their development and for implementing reform measures. This study aims to examine preservice EFL teachers’ perceptions about learning to teach writing in English before their practicum in Vietnamese high schools. An open-ended questionnaire collected data from 97 preservice EFL teachers at the beginning of their final practicum. The data indicated that these preservice EFL teachers were motivated to learn to teach English but required mentors to model effective teaching practices and share their teaching experiences. They also needed their mentors to be enthusiastic and supportive, and provide constructive feedback. These findings may assist teacher educators and school mentors for motivating and developing preservice EFL teachers’ practices.