Karen E. Johnson is Kirby Professor of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics at The Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Deryn P. Verity is a Teaching Professor in Applied Linguistics and Director of ESL/EAP Programs at The Pennsylvania State University, USA.

Sharon S. Childs is an Associate Teaching Professor and Chair of the MA TESL Program at The Pennsylvania State University, USA.

PART I: DEFINING PRAXIS-ORIENTED PEDAGOGY FOR L2 TEACHER EDUCATION. 1. Vygotskian sociocultural theory: Concepts and principles. 2. Praxis-oriented pedagogy for L2 teacher education. PART II: THE DESIGN FEATURES OF PRAXIS-ORIENTED COURSES. 3.The MA TESL program. 4. The MA TESL capstone projects. PART III: TRACING THE DEVELOPMENTAL TRAJECTORY OF L2 NOVICE TEACHER REASONING. 5. Why pedagogical concepts matter. 6. Responsive mediation and teacher instructional stance. 7. Orienting to emotion: The centrality of perezhivanie in teacher development. 8. Internalizing pedagogical concepts. PART IV: OUTCOMES, IMPACT, OPPORTUNITIES. 9. Reconceptualization in novice L2 teacher reasoning. 10. Post-graduation trajectories: Our novice teachers in the world. 11. Praxis and program design. APPENDIX 1: PEDAGOGICAL CONCEPTS IN L2 TEACHING. APPENDIX 2: Teacher Demographics. Index.

In this cutting-edge book on L2 teacher education, experts Johnson, Verity, and Childs demonstrate how praxis-oriented pedagogy grounded in the principles of Vygotskian Sociocultural Theory (VSCT) can have a meaningful impact on L2 teachers' development. Starting with a clear definition of praxis-oriented pedagogy, the authors lay out a theoretical foundation and document how appropriately designed praxis-oriented L2 teacher education pedagogy supports the development of novice teacher reasoning. Drawing from a longitudinal study of L2 novice teachers, chapters address the teachers' understanding, learning, and cognitive development and how their capabilities grow in creating and implementing engaging language learning environments for their ESL students. At the core of the book lies a unique set of pedagogical concepts: linguistically compact, conceptually rich chunks of language that function as psychological tools for learning and teaching. By covering teachers' changes in understanding, reasoning, and pedagogical activities, the book reveals the role that pedagogical concepts play in praxis-oriented pedagogy.
Essential reading for language teacher educators, language teachers, and researchers, this book makes the VSCT principles that inform praxis-oriented pedagogy both clear and accessible.