Pre-service English Teachers' Experiences of Peer Support and Their Role in Shaping Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment during Teaching Practicum: A Case Study

Abstract

Teaching practicum is a crucial yet emotionally challenging stage for pre-service English teachers. During this period, peer support may provide accessible social support that helps them cope with teaching-related challenges and experience positive emotions. However, previous studies have predominantly examined the relationship between peer support and teaching-related outcomes quantitatively, providing limited insight into how peer support is experienced and how it shapes pre-service English teachers’ Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment (FLTE) during teaching practicum. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate (1) how pre-service English teachers experience peer support during teaching practicum and (2) how those experiences of peer support shape their FLTE during teaching practicum. This qualitative case study employed Social Support Theory (House, 1981) and the Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment framework (Dewaele, 2022) as the theoretical foundations. The participants were four pre-service English teachers undertaking a teaching practicum in a high school in East Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through Stimulated Recall Interviews and analyzed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. The findings revealed that pre-service English teachers experienced peer support through four forms of experience: collaborating to manage teaching practicum, sharing teaching responsibilities, learning together as pre-service teachers, and building supportive peer relationships. Furthermore, these experiences shaped their FLTE by creating positive emotional experiences, building confidence in teaching, facilitating effective teaching practicum, and developing a sense of belonging. Overall, peer support contributed to more enjoyable teaching experiences during the practicum. Nevertheless, the findings are situated within a specific teaching practicum context and a single practicum period and therefore are not intended to be generalized to other contexts. The study suggests that teacher education programs provide opportunities for structured peer collaboration and that pre-service English teachers actively develop supportive peer relationships during teaching practicum.