Evaluation of Student - Teachers' Performance in TEFL Practicum at Kuwait University

Abstract

The study discusses the practicum of EFL student-teachers for intermediate and secondary schools. It focuses on the steps followed in conducting their evaluation in Kuwait. The necessary competencies inside the classroom were investigated utilizing an evaluation format consisting of 36 competencies: divided into five categories viz, personal qualities, linguistic/language, inter¬personal relationship, planning and implementation. The sample consisted of EFL student - teachers in fall 1994 / 95 who were__practising teaching in intermediate and secondary schools. The students' evaluation was carried out over three one-month consecutive periods for guidance, development and assessment. The findings reveal that all the categories of competencies are significantly correlated with each other, hence identified as components of TP evaluation. The findings also indicate that the students' progress is achieved mostly at the end of the first period and only marginally at the end of the third period hence the crystallization of competencies through induction has been fulfilled to some extent. The paper concludes with recommendations for further research.