Problem-based Learning for Preservice Teachers of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an appropriate teaching approach for university courses with a strong foundation in reality. It merges theory with practice, cultivates students’ sense of agency, encourages self-regulation and teamwork, and leads to the sustainable acquisition of a multitude of relevant skills. This article demonstrates how PBL is used in a teacher education course for preservice English teachers at a university in Austria. It explains how the problem-solving process underlying the approach is applied, analyses the roles of the students and the teacher in a PBL classroom, and highlights the advantages of PBL in teacher education.