Impact of a Competency-Focused Intervention on PreService English Teachers’ Understanding and Application of the 2022 Revised Core Competencies

This study investigated the impact of an educational intervention, combining a targeted methods course with a subsequent practicum, on pre-service English teachers’ understanding and application of the 2022 Korean curriculum’s six core competencies. Amid concerns over a persistent theory-practice gap, especially for abstract competencies, this study employed a mixed-methods design with two cohorts (N = 33; 2024, 2025). Quantitative pre- and post-surveys measured perceived understanding, while qualitative data from post-practicum reports and interviews captured specific teaching methods. The intervention resulted in significant overall gains. Notably, the largest gains across both cohorts occurred in Aesthetic Sensibility and Creative Thinking—competencies previously reported as undervalued, suggesting that the intervention provided a vital corrective experience. Separately, qualitative analysis revealed a clear pedagogical progression in applying Knowledge & Information Processing, particularly in 2025, which received more refined instruction on AI integration. This cohort shifted from basic tool use to actively teaching information processing with digital tools. This combined approach effectively bridges the theory-practice gap by addressing initial theoretical confusion. These findings provide evidence that building pre-service teachers' foundational instructional confidence is the critical prerequisite for the subsequent, more complex challenge of developing their capacity to design valid assessments for these competencies.