| Research on teachers’ practical knowledge emerged in the1980s. Influenced bytraditional perspectives about knowledge, researchers overemphasized the role of publicknowledge in their studies on teachers’ knowledge, but to certain extent, teachers’teaching experience was ignored. In the1990s, research on teachers’ knowledge turnedto their practical knowledge. A kindergarten EFL teacher has dual obligations ofteaching and caring in his/her daily work. Kindergarten teachers must be rational andflexible in dealing with various situations. It is obvious that practical knowledge is amust for them.This study aims at providing insights and enlightenment to the practice of Englishteaching in kindergartens. Three kindergarten EFL teachers were selected as subjects,who all have rich teaching experiences. With the structure of teachers’ practicalknowledge as a framework, the case study was carried out through class observationsfor three months and in-depth interviews to the subjects after class. Qualitative analysisof the data was conducted to generate the features of kindergarten EFL teachers’practical knowledge, and to probe into the factors related to the formation of suchknowledge.Three major findings are identified from the case study.1) The practical knowledgeof Kindergarten EFL teachers is highly individual in nature and their professionaldevelopment is promoted by their personal educational beliefs and characters.2)Practical experience and practical knowledge of various aspects jointly affect teachers’teaching practice.3) Teachers’ practical knowledge concerning curriculum andinstruction plays a vital role in shaping their teaching methods and guiding theirteaching behaviors. |
