Student Teachers’ Perceptions of Sources of Teaching Practice-Related Anxieties

Abstract

Teaching practice is a very vital component of teacher programme. This study examined student teacher‟s perceptions of the source of teaching practice related anxieties. The student teacher‟s source of anxieties questionnaire (STSAQ) was used for data collection. Two hundred and seventy-seven undergraduate students of the Faculty of Education in the University of Benin in their penultimate and final years who were on teaching practice in the 2011/2012 session in secondary schools across the country took part in the study. The findings indicated that student teachers did not differ in their perceptions of the sources of teaching practice related anxieties. The results also showed that there were no significant gender, and year in programme (academic level) differences in student teachers‟ perceptions of teaching practice related anxieties. These findings indicate that irrespective of gender and year in programme anxiety is a reality student teachers face during teaching practice. There is therefore the need for interventions to address student teachers‟ teaching practice related anxieties in order to make the teaching practice component of teacher education programme a challenging, relevant and rewarding experience.