scholarly journals Teachers as Leaders: Equipping English Language Teachers with Leadership Knowledge and Skills in TESOL

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-190
Author(s):  
Sayyed Rashid Shah
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Leadership ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Leaders ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
Software Analysis ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Efl Teacher

As part of a larger qualitative case study, this article explores the perceptions of EFL teacher leaders with regards to leadership knowledge and skills they consider important for their leadership roles in the Saudi EFL context. Twelve EFL teacher leaders were interviewed to identity various types of knowledge and skills for teacher leadership practices in the EFL context. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and open-ended questionnaire, and analysed using the Nvivo 10 software. Analysis led to 18 main categories and four overarching themes; however, four major categories and one key theme are part of this article that reflect the participants’ perceptions of leadership knowledge and skills. The findings reveal that TESOL background and pedagogical knowledge helped the participants to establish their identity as EFL teacher leaders. Likewise, knowledge about the people and context supported their roles and their acute awareness of the culture, people and the context contributed to their self-efficacy. There is an emphasis on improved pedagogical skills for teacher leadership roles; however, those with operational duties, such as academic coordinators have not considered teaching skills important for their jobs. The findings have highlighted the significance of role-related skills, basic management skills and personality traits for effective EFL teacher leadership.

scholarly journals The Emergence of Teacher Leadership in TESOL: An Exploratory Study of English Language Teachers as Teacher Leaders in the Saudi EFL Context

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-156
Author(s):  
Sayyed Rashid Ali Shah
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Leaders ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Hierarchical Structures ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

As part of a larger qualitative case study, this article explores the notion of teacher leadership in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context and a higher educational institution in Saudi Arabia. Twelve EFL teacher leaders were interviewed to understand their perceptions of teacher leadership practices in the EFL context. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and opened-ended questionnaires, and analysed using NVivo10. Data analysis led to 18 main categories and four overarching themes; however, four major categories and one key theme are part of this article that represent the EFL teacher-leaders’ perceptions of their leadership practices and roles at the English Language Institute (ELI). The findings reveal that teacher leadership is a novel concept at the ELI and teacher leaders operate in hierarchical leadership structures. However, their wide range of leadership roles, both instructional and operational match with the three historical waves of teacher leadership (Silva, Gimbert & Nolan, 2000) in the US context. The impact of hierarchical structures on teacher leadership practices is evidently found as EFL teacher leaders encounter various difficulties, such as heavy administrative workload and lack of autonomy. Nevertheless, their shared leadership practices within the groups help them deal with these challenges.

scholarly journals PRIMARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS’ ENGAGEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Thi Thom Thom ◽  
Pham Thi Thanh Thuy
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Efl Teacher ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
The Impact

Teachers’ professional development (PD) is viewed as the center of educational reforms in many countries, and this topic has been widely researched by scholars such as Avalos (2011), Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin (2011), Le (2002), and Whitehouse (2011). However, primary English language teachers (PELTers)’ PD has been under-researched in Vietnamese contexts. This paper outlines a project researching PELTers’ PD in a period of ongoing educational transformation, initiated by the National Foreign Languages Project. The authors highlight a ‘mixed methods’ research design with data collected from 68 surveys and five individual semi-structured interviews in a province in North Vietnam. Both the impact of language policy on Vietnamese PELTers' PD and their responses to top-down PD requirements and provision are under investigation. Some initial findings are (i) PELTers' rationales for PD; (ii) their engagement in PD forms and topics; (iii) benefits of PD; (iv)their PD need areas; and (v) factors affecting PD engagement. PELTers' suggestions for improving PD in their contexts are also discussed. This paper offers significant insights for EFL researchers, policy-makers, EFL teacher training institutions and other educators.

scholarly journals Autonomy Perceptions from Teachers of English as a Foreign Language in Diverse Colombian Public Teaching Settings

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Dr. David Wealthy Guerrero
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Research Question ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Research Production ◽  
English Language Teachers

<p><em>This qualitative descriptive case study reports the features in autonomy dynamics of three Colombian English language teachers in public schools in the District in Bogota Colombia. Three semi-structured interviews and reflective journals were used for data collection. The research question that guided this study was: What perceptions about autonomy do the three Colombian English language teachers have? The general purpose of this investigation was to identify the main features in teachers’ perceptions related to Autonomy. The specific objective was to identify the strategies that promoted autonomy in Teachers of English as a Foreign Language -TEFL- in different public schools in Bogota, Colombia. The study is, therefore, particularly significant as it can play a role in encouraging Colombian English as a Foreign Language -EFL- teachers to relate the factors needed to get a high quality in Education dynamics. Data indicated that the process heightened the teachers’ awareness of ‘self’ and practice. Autonomy also activated both the teachers’ ability to critically reflect on their context as well as focus on positive aspects of their practice through the willingness to improve their academic abilities and research production. Taken together, the findings serve as baseline data to further professional development in language assessment. </em></p><em></em><em></em>

scholarly journals English Language Learning Demotivating Factors for Saudi High School EFL Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Raneem Alyousif ◽  
Zainab Alsuhaibani
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Extrinsic Motivation ◽  
English Language ◽  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Efl Students

Demotivating factors are one of the sources that can reduce students&rsquo; motivation toward language learning. This study investigated language learning demotivating factors among high school EFL students. It also explored the educational implications and recommendations for promoting EFL students&rsquo; motivation from teachers&rsquo; perspectives. A total of 365 Saudi high school EFL students and 18 secondary English language teachers from six public schools participated in the study. The data of the study were collected via two research instruments: a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with students and teachers. The results revealed that subject- related and teacher-related demotivating factors were the most reported demotivating factors for Saudi high school EFL students. The results also showed that lack of interesting topics, lack of activities for practicing English, overemphasis on grammar, and incompetence of teachers were the most demotivating factors for EFL students toward English learning. Moreover, several recommendations for promoting students&rsquo; motivation have been suggested by teachers such as technology use, extrinsic motivation and encouragement, and competitive and collaborative work.&nbsp;

scholarly journals Teacher Leadership in Special Education: Exploring Skills, Roles, and Perceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 44-63
Author(s):  
Sylvia Bagley ◽  
Kimmie Tang
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Teacher Leadership ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Teacher Leaders ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Special Education Teacher ◽  
Teacher Leader ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Diverse Field

Special Education teachers frequently assume formal or informal leadership roles and responsibilities across disciplines (Council for Exceptional Children, 2015a, 2015b). However, despite the increasing attention paid to teacher leadership on an international scale (Wenner & Campbell, 2016), little research exists on the experiences and needs of teacher leaders within the diverse field of Special Education. In this descriptive phenomenological study, we addressed the following questions: 1) What does teacher leadership within the landscape of Special Education look like? 2) How does this work relate to the roles and dispositions laid out in both the Teacher Leader Model Standards (2011) and the Council for Exceptional Children’s Special Education Specialist Preparation Standards (2015a, 2015b)? We found that Special Education teacher leaders primarily demonstrate leadership via support, specifically through the skills of advocacy, facilitating, innovating, and ‘administrating’.

scholarly journals THE AFFORDANCES OF THE FLIPPED CLASSROOM APPROACH IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (33) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Huu Anh Vuong Nguyen ◽  
Choon Keong Tan ◽  
Kean Wah Lee
Keyword(s):  
Flipped Classroom ◽  
English Language ◽  
Potential Method ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Grammar Instruction ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
English Grammar ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Grammar Rules

Recently, the flipped classroom instructional approach has received much attention from teachers of different subjects around the world. This new pedagogical model has been reported to be a potential method in the area of EFL teaching. In Vietnam, teaching English grammar has mainly focused on students’ acquisition of grammar rules without much practical application in real communicative situations. This case study aims at investigating the affordances perceived by students in a flipped English grammar class in order to help language teachers to harness the approach to enhance their students’ learning. The qualitative research design was adopted in the study. Thirty-four students majoring in the English language at a university in Vietnam attended a 10-week flipped grammar class. The instruments include semi-structured interviews with ten students randomly selected from the participants. Thematic analysis was performed to address the qualitative data drawing on the Activity Theory framework. Twelve affordances of the flipped classroom approach in English grammar instruction such as being self-paced in learning, offering opportunities to voice opinions, saving time for in-class communicative activities and facilitating learning English grammar communicatively were identified. The results of the study offer valuable implications for the application of this model in teaching English as a foreign language, especially in the context of Vietnam.

Effects of Teacher Portfolio Construction on English Language Teachers' Perceived Teaching Competencies

2017 ◽  
pp. 185-207
Author(s):  
Ece Zehir Topkaya ◽  
Handan Çelik
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Portfolio Construction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teaching Competencies ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Native Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Teacher Portfolio

This study investigates the effects of teacher portfolio construction upon in-service English language teachers' perceived teaching competencies. With the participation of six non-native teachers, data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews conducted before and after a sixteen-week teacher portfolio construction program. Analyses of the data through descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis revealed that the teachers' perceptions related to their teaching competencies were quite high prior to the portfolio construction process. After the process, however, decrease was observed in the teachers' perceived competencies. Findings also showed that the portfolio construction program was effective for the teachers' in that the process led them to become more self-evaluative, thus reflective and realistic about their competencies.

Podcasting as a Next Generation Teaching Resource

2009 ◽  
pp. 350-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Ang Lu
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
English Language Teachers ◽  
Almost All

This chapter aims to investigate how podcasts can be made to fit into the repertoire of resources utilized by teachers, especially in language education. It focuses on arming the language teacher with a fundamental knowledge of podcasting, centering on its potential applications in the classroom. Podcasts are ideal resources for language teachers, especially English language teachers, because almost all topics imaginable are now being treated in podcasts and the bulk of podcasts are recorded in English. Aside from making use of language-teaching podcasts, language teachers can also incorporate English language podcasts dealing with a wide range of issues to cater to the varying preferences of students. In addition to discussing these points, this chapter also provides suggestions for the practical incorporation of podcasts in language learning and teaching, both inside and outside the classroom. Two case studies demonstrating possible ways to use podcasts in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context are presented.

scholarly journals Teachers’ experiences with dyslexic learners in mainstream classrooms: Implications for teacher education

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
S’lungile K Thwalaa ◽  
Christian Sunday Ugwuanyi ◽  
Chinedu I.O Okeke ◽  
Nombuso N Gamad ◽  
Abahle Thewala
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Education System ◽  
English Language ◽  
Teacher Education Program ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Phenomenological Research Design

Inclusive education represents the main ethos of the Kingdom of Eswatini education system. This reflects on both the Constitution and on various education policies since the country became a signatory to the goals of Education for All. However, it would appear that major constraints impede the education vision that resonates through the charter of ‘no child is left behind’. The education of learners with dyslexia is then called into empirical questions with a focus on the experiences of teachers of such category of learners within the Eswatini education system. A phenomenological research design was chosen, using a convenience sampling technique to select 12 English language teachers of dyslexic learners. Data were obtained by individual semi-structured interviews and by non-participant observations. Content analysis was employed to analyze the data, which were then presented thematically. Peer review, as well as member checks, were used to improve the trustworthiness of data. The main themes that emerged were insufficient time, unwelcoming attitudes, lack of support, and lack of training of teachers of dyslexic learners. It was equally evident that teachers were challenged by insufficient training to enable them to deal with dyslexic learners. Without an effective support structure for teachers, the education of dyslexic learners would remain a chimera. This finding implicates the teacher education programs in colleges of education and universities in the sense that training on inclusive classroom teaching should form part of the teacher education program.            

scholarly journals Promoting Learner Autonomy

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 156-167
Author(s):  
Said OUSSOU
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
English Language ◽  
Learner Autonomy ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
English Language Teaching ◽  
Know How ◽  
Efl Context ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Language Teachers

Learner autonomy has been the concern of a number of researchers in English language teaching. The concept has begun life since the 1980s. It has been considered in the Moroccan EFL context among the priorities of education, which English language teachers try to implement in their classes. Studies revealed that there are correlations between learner autonomy and other variables related to learners, which makes autonomy a subject of interest and thus an ability that should be fostered. As such, the present study aims at investigating the extent to which secondary EFL teachers promote autonomy in their learners. To achieve this purpose, a quantitative research design was employed in the study, generating and analyzing quantitative data. Therefore, a sample of 96 (57 males and 39 females) EFL teachers completed the questionnaire. Drawing on the findings, it was found that EFL teachers promote learner autonomy to a great extent and that the results were conclusive among the teachers’ rates of levels of agreement and disagreement regarding the strategies for promoting learner autonomy. Thus, it is concluded that the study reported on the extent to which teachers employ a number of strategies to promote learner autonomy and that it does not necessarily mean that the study explained the degree to which teachers know how to implement those strategies, as this would be beyond the purpose of the present study.

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