Jiao Zeng, Zhe Yang

Zhe Yang

March 31, 2026

Practical knowledge, Student teachers, Voluntary teaching programs, Reflective practice.

This study takes the voluntary English teaching program in primary schools participated by student teachers from S University as the practical field, and employs the grounded theory method to deeply explore the construction path of student teachers' practical knowledge. The research finds that when student teachers enter real classrooms with idealized teaching beliefs acquired in university courses, they generally encounter "reality shock". This impact triggers cognitive adjustment through "reflective practice," which in turn drives "strategic adaptation" actions. In this process, the "community of practice" provides crucial social support. Ultimately, student teachers achieve an identity transformation from "theoretical applicators" to "problem solvers," and their practical knowledge undergoes a cyclical construction and internalization process from "reality shock" to "reflective generation." The "shock–reflection–internalization" model constructed in this study provides a theoretical basis and practical insights for optimizing the practical teaching system for student teachers.

© 2026, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license