STUDIU PRIVIND REPREZENTĂRILE METAFORICE ALE VIITORILOR PROFESORI DESPRE PROCESUL DE PREDARE ȘI ROLURILE PROFESORULUI
AN INVESTIGATION OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHER'S METAPHORS ABOUT TEACHING AND TEACHER'S ROLES

Summary/Abstract: According to conceptual metaphor theory, metaphors are much more than stylistic devices, they are view as basic elements of thinking. Common presences in our every-day language, metaphors "we live by" (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980/2008) shape our perception and understanding of the physical and social world, give sense to facts and events, structure personal experience and collective knowledge, guide actions, sometimes even without noticing them. Metaphors are present in didactic discourse and in discourse about education as well, shaping the way educational actors - students, teachers, parents, policy makers - conceptualize the learning and teaching process, teachers' roles, classroom interactions. Metaphors "we teach by" (Badley & Brummelen, 2012) "shape what we do in classrooms" (idem) and can be useful tools to investigate teachers' explicit and implicit beliefs and expectations. This paper presents an analysis of pre-service teachers' metaphoric representations about the teaching process, with the aim to investigate the way they conceptualize their roles in the classroom. The study sample includes 114 pre-service teachers, selected on a voluntary participation basis from the students enrolled in the Teacher Training Program at the University of Alba Iulia. The results are discussed in relation to their potential relevance for optimizing training, motivation, job satisfaction and teaching practice of future teachers.

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