Prospective Teacher’s Aptitude towards Teaching and their Course Related to Teaching Methods: A Correlational Study

Abstract

This study investigated the correlation between prospective teachers’ aptitude for teaching and their subject knowledge of teaching methods at the university level. The research employed a descriptive and quantitative correlational design. The population included all graduate students enrolled in the 7th and 8th semesters, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select 52 participants from BS and B.Ed (Hons) programs. Data were collected using two questionnaires: the Teaching Aptitude Test Battery (TATB) by Singh and Sharma (1998), consisting of 30 items and one open-ended question, and a self-constructed questionnaire based on the semester scheme of studies for teaching methods in Mathematics, General Sciences, History and Geography, and Second Language Acquisition. The reliability of the aptitude scale was 0.779, and that of the teaching methods questionnaire was 0.876. Expert validation was obtained from three faculty members. Findings revealed varying levels of knowledge across subjects. In Science, 34.6% of students scored low, 34.6% average, and 30.8% high. In History and Geography, 36.5% showed low, 30.8% average, and 32.7% high levels. For Second Language Acquisition, most 7th-semester students fell into the average category, while 8thsemester female students showed higher knowledge levels. Overall, prospective teachers’ aptitude showed weak positive but statistically insignificant correlations with all subject areas, indicating no strong relationship between teaching aptitude and teaching method knowledge. The study concluded that existing knowledge gaps, particularly inMathematics and SLA, highlight the need for enhanced teacher education programs and specialized training interventions to strengthen teaching aptitude and subject competence.