Study of Teaching Practices in Social Studies at the Primary School Level: The Case of Pre-Service Teachers in the Context of Practice Teaching in Quebec
Set against the contextual backdrop of dual reforms implemented over the past 10 years in Quebec (primary school and initial teacher education curricula), this research aimed to characterize teaching practices in social studies among future primary teachers in the context of practice teaching. To do so, we undertook a twofold reading of practices: a first reading based on analysis of data collected through observations of what pre-service teachers do in class, and a second reading based on analysis of data collected through interviews before and after classroom activity, with emphasis on the meaning the teachers give to their actions. The results suggest that the current perspective centred on the critical and reflective function is not yet strongly reflected in the practices of pre-service teachers or in their statements about these practices. Even if future teachers are aware of the new and official orientations, they interpret and adapt them according to a number of factors, including the practices of their mentor teachers, their past experiences and their comfort level in the discipline.