Strengthening Learner-Centered Approach (LCA) in Myanmar Primary School Teacher Training: Can Initial Practices of LCA Be Seen?

Abstract

This study investigated if initial practices of a learner-centered approach (LCA) could be seen at primary school teacher training institutes (Education Colleges) in the Union of Myanmar where Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been conducting “Strengthening Child-Centered Approach (SCCA) Project” Suggest “workshops for its primary school education instructors and students. It also aimed to see differences in instructional practices between instructors of Education Colleges‟ Methodology Departments with LCA workshop experience and those of Academic Departments without the experience. The investigation was done with a qualitative analysis of classroom observation video data. The analysis was conducted in terms of three main aspects: social communication pattern seen in the lesson context, content of instructor‟s utterance, and type of students‟ utterance. Regardless of the workshop experience, it was found that instructional practices of the instructors from both departments just addressed students‟ behaviorally active involvement, not the cognitively active participation that is the key fundamental requirement of LCA.