Counselling During Off-Campus Teaching Practice in Ghana: Deficiencies and Implications

Abstract

The study investigated the frequency and perceived quality of counselling services provided by faculty supervisors to undergraduate teacher-trainees in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cape Coast during off-campus teaching practice. It also examined trainees’ feelings and reactions to the counselling services offered them. The sample comprised 480 male and 170 female undergraduate teacher-trainees who had returned from off-campus teaching practice. Data was collected with questionnaire and analyzed with percentages and chi — square (x2) at the 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that while the majority (66%) of trainees received and benefited from post-lesson presentation counselling, a significant proportion( 34% ) of the trainees neither received nor benefited from the experience. Pre-lesson presentation counselling was scarcely offered. Findings also indicated that most ( 86% ) trainees felt anxious, scared or nervous during supervision and showed resistance in the counselling sessions with their supervisors. Implications of the findings for improvement of the counselling component of the teaching practice experience, including the need to equip supervisors with basic counselling skills are examined.