Chou Shiao-Yuh,  Lim Chin Nam, Liu Zeng Jiao, Tam Siew Kee,  Candy Neo Han Wei, See Bee Keow 

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate one participant teacher's learning of pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1986) and the challenges of teaching second language writing faced by a teacher who was new to apply drama as pedagogy. Freire's (1970) praxis theory specifies that teachers' knowledge building be grounded on the reflections on actions, thus leading to transformations. Lesson study hence in our research project was employed as a professional development platform where teachers carried out, reflected and theorised their practice collectively through co-planning, classroom observation and post-lesson conferences. A group of three Chinese language teachers carried out three cycles of lesson study with the knowledgeable others' support from February to July this year. Data were collected using classroom observations, interviews, minute-taking, reflective notes, student survey, and collection of student compositions. It is discovered that the generation of the participant teacher's pedagogical content knowledge is based on her reflection on experience working with and in dialogue with members of the lesson study group. Accordingly with the knowledge newly developed, the case teacher's praxis became more learner-centred, more reflective and more interactive after three cycles of lesson study.