Implementing Case Studies in Language Teacher Education and Professional Development Kenneth Kelch and Miralynn Malupa-Kim Alliant International University A case study is a method of teaching robust definition of a teaching case must in- that is used in a variety of disciplines. While clude a scenario delineating a problem that specific definitions may vary, in general a requires an interactive response by the learn- case is a description of an actual or hypo- er” (p. 523). thetical yet realistic/real-world situation in which a person or persons face a problem or Case studies are often traditionally challenge. The following definition of a case thought of as being used in medical, legal, is provided by Shulman (1999): “Cases are and business training. Physicians have long usually accounts of practical or strategic di- been trained by the case method, as medical lemmas that confront a teacher. To be valua- school students are presented with the partic- ble to use as a case, however, the narrative ulars of a patient’s medical problem and are should be representative of a class or type of tasked with providing a diagnosis and course dilemma, problem, or quandary that arises of treatment. In the legal field, Stanford Law with some frequency in teaching situa- School, for instance, uses case studies that tions” (p. 92). “place students in the roles of lawyers and policy makers and teach fundamental law- In teacher education, the case study yering skills such as investigating facts, method is a motivating, student-centered counseling, and resolving ethical dilem- approach in which theoretical models and mas” (Stanford Law School Case Studies concepts are illustrated through their appli- Collection, 2012). In business schools, case cation to practical situations. Engagement in studies have been used to teach business eth- case studies promotes active involvement, ics, management, marketing, consumer be- participation, and critical thinking among havior, sales, organizational behavior, entre- participants. Case studies “can be used in preneurship, and any number of other topic any discipline when instructors want stu- areas (Smith, 2010). dents to explore how what they have learned applies to real world situations…[and] re- In short, case studies can be and are quire students to answer an open-ended utilized in any subject area, including civil question or develop a solution to an open- engineering (Newson & Delatte, 2011), ac- ended problem with multiple potential solu- counting (Doran, Healy, McCutcheon, & tions” (“Using Case Studies to Teach,” O'Callaghan, 2011) and physical education 2013). In the case method, participants are (Richards, Hemphill, Templin, & Eubank, exposed to the breadth and depth of the con- 2012). In fact, prospective applicants to tent being studied. In short, students learn by these types of professional training schools doing, and they develop their ability to en- might use case studies as one method of pre- gage in “teacher theorizing” (Prabhu, paring for the admissions process and to im- 1992) and “robust reasoning” (Johnson, prove their chances of acceptance into their 1999). Heitzmann (2008) stated that “any desired program (“Case Studies,” 2013). 10 ORTESOL Journal Approaches to Teacher Education which present information about and guide- lines on how to use cases in education Language teacher education in the (“Using Case Studies to Teach,” 2013). The past several decades has incorporated many use of case studies in TESOL has been less of the approaches and practices of general extensively used than in other educational teacher education (Freeman & Richards, and professional fields (Bailey, 2006). None- 1993; Clarke, 1994; Crandall, 2000; Woods, theless, the literature shows that the case 1996). A current approach to teacher educa- method is increasingly incorporated in tion includes the notion of teacher reflection, TESOL teacher education. Crandall (2000) the incorporation of personal experience, states that “Teaching case studies and stories teacher cognition, problem-posing, and teach- (like those used in the medical, legal, or busi- er professional development (see, for exam- ness education) provide a means of bridging ple, (Richards & Lockhart, 1994; Golombek, theory and practice and demonstrating the 1998; Schleppegrell, 1997; Richards & Far- complexity of teaching as a profession. They rell, 2005). Crandall (2000) states that there provide contextualized portraits of the many has been a shift in lan- factors which influence guage teacher education, Engagement in case studies teacher decision making which is evident in four and behavior in the essential areas: there is promotes active involvement, classroom” (p. 41). an emphasis on con- participation, and critical thinking structivist, process- among participants. Johnson (1996) advocat- oriented approaches; a ed that in teacher educa- focus on linking theory with the realities of tion a transition from a traditional transmis- classroom teaching; inclusion of teachers’ sion-based approach to a constructivist ap- prior learning and experience; and a focus on proach can be achieved through a case-based teacher learning as including self-directed method. This approach provides “rich de- and collaborative components. In a similar scriptions of the complexities of teachers’ way, McNamara (2008) posits a view of lan- work by revealing the complex variables that guage teaching and learning which involves are considered as teachers sort out, make individuals who are in interaction with oth- sense of, and justify the use of particular ac- ers, and in which learning and teaching occur tions” (p. 767). Ellis (2010) suggested that within institutional constraints. As Tsui teachers, both pre- and in-service, can con- (2003) states, “Teachers’ knowledge must be nect theory and practice through “narrative understood in terms of the way they respond discourse that arguably corresponds more to their contexts of work, and this in turn closely to how teachers make sense of their shapes the contexts in which their knowledge work….through carefully selected case stud- is developed” (p. 2). The elements of teacher ies of classroom learners and of instructional education outlined here can be realized in the interventions in language learning” (p. 187). use of the case method. Case studies have also been incorpo- Case Method in Teacher Education rated in TESOL teacher education training materials (Roberts, 1997; Plaister, 1993). The As the case approach has become an TESOL international organization has a se- important component of teacher education ries of books in its Case Studies in TESOL programs, there has been an increase in the Practice , each highlighting a different theme, availability of teacher training materials which present the accounts of practitioners, Volume 31, 2014 11 with the aim being that readers of such cases collaboration enables teachers to grow pro- may reflect on and come to deeper under- fessionally by exploring their personal belief standings of the issues that they face in their system, understanding how those beliefs are own teaching context (for a review of the realized within their particular teaching con- series, see Stoynoff, 2004). text, and articulating their experiences. When teachers come together in faculty meetings, Bailey (2006) used the case approach staff development days, or other collabora- in her book on language teaching supervi- tive settings, they may employ case study sion, in which current and future supervisors topics, which draw upon the practical matters can read about and engage in activities relat- faced by instructors in their classrooms and ed to commonplace issues such as teacher institutions. They may also go beyond the observation and evaluation, autonomy and technical aspects of teaching and delve into authority, and supervisory discourse. deeper, more philosophical issues, such as the nature of teacher learning and the person- The Case Method al values and beliefs inherent in the craft of in Professional Development teaching. The benefits of the case method apply Benefits of Utilizing the Case Method not only to pre-service teacher training, but they also can be used to promote professional As the subject of an empirical re- development among experienced teachers. search study, the case-based approach was Time on the job in and of itself may not be shown to improve college students’ ability to sufficient to develop and maintain pedagogi- solve problems such as those that arise in cal skills. Therefore, experienced educators dealing with classroom management issues can further their professional competencies (Choi & Lee, 2009). through engagement in activities which allow them to bridge the theory-practice divide. Through their own use of the case The case method allows teachers to interact approach, the authors have found that partici- with theoretical principles by drawing upon pants are able to improve their skills in the their own and others’ experiential and practi- following areas: cal knowledge in addressing real-world prob- lems. Teachers are able to view a particular • Critical thinking case “as a member of a class of events and to • Oral communication (speaking and call attention to its value” (Shulman, 1992, p. listening) 21). As Bailey (2006) states, “These appar- • Writing skills ently imaginary situations provide us with • Interpersonal skills safe contexts for thinking out alternative so- • Resolving disagreement and consensus lutions to the problems raised” (p. 25). building • Qualitative