Pre-Service Teacher Trends and Practices in the Teaching Internship in Southeast Asian Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

Teaching internships (known as practicum, practice teaching, or student teaching in some circles) is the final field experience in the initial teacher education process in Southeast Asia, although each country organizes it differently. This paper summarizes a systematic literature review comparing trends and practices in pre-service teacher internships across Southeast Asian countries. According to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 50 Scopus records were screened, and 37 studies written between 2018 and 2026 were selected: studies from the Philippines (11), Indonesia (10), Thailand (8), Vietnam (6), and Malaysia (1), plus a Vietnam-Philippines comparison. Data were extracted into a table and analyzed thematically, with cross-country comparisons. Eight tendencies emerged: an enduring theory-practice gap; the role of mentoring and feedback in practice; different levels of school-university partnerships; digitalization from COVID-19 to AI tools; assessment literacy bound to context; reflections, identity, self-efficacy, and emotions; inclusion and rural placements; and relationships with national standards and reforms. Internships share the sequence of observation-teaching-evaluation but differ in duration (with some Vietnamese programs lasting two months, the Philippines offering internships for one semester, and Thailand running five-year programs with one-year placements), their emphasis on research, and partner schools' responsibilities. Quality and nature of mentoring and relationships, not only structure, matter for internship outcomes. The review suggests longer, better-supported placements; formal preparatory activities for mentors; reciprocal relationships between schools and universities; explicit training in inclusive teaching and technology use; and collaboration in regional research and exchange programs.