ABSTRACT
One of the more pressing needs faced in schools worldwide is the preparation of today’s students for the future. In Singapore, competencies and values deemed essential are identified for the student of today in preparation for tomorrow. These are explicitly articulated in a national framework for schools. This chapter aims to discuss authentic issues that surface from teaching and learning in an Asian classroom that seeks to look ahead. We believe that in order to reach the students in the classrooms, one must first reach the teacher. Focusing on initial teacher education, the chapter offers a perspective on how such a demanding and complex task as preparing young learners for the future is translated. It discusses how pre-service teachers are equipped for their role and identifies challenges faced by these future teachers in applying their learning to the actual classroom. Possible ways of bridging the theory–practice nexus are explored within the given situation and context. This chapter will provide critical insights into initial teacher education in support of the implementation of a national English language curriculum that equips students for the future, and will add value to research literature in the field of teaching and learning in Asia.
