scholarly journals Teacher Development through Podcast Engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Matthew Turner ◽  
Matthew Schaeffer ◽  
Robert Lowe

Professional development and community engagement are important parts of maintaining commitment in language teaching. Podcasting is emerging as a form of professional development and engagement with the English language teaching community, both through the production of podcasts themselves, and through participation as listeners. Drawing upon our experiences of creating a podcast, together with an examination of other podcasts in the field, this practically oriented paper will document and identify a range of innovative ways through which engagement with podcasts, by both producers and listeners, can contribute to teacher development. This paper will highlight how podcasts can instigate opportunities for reflective inquiry, aid communities of practice, and support efforts to negotiate practical and theoretical knowledge. After providing a definition of podcasts as a media format and describing their status in the language teaching field, the paper considers professional development opportunities which may be afforded by engagement with podcasts. 言語教育におけるコミットメントを維持するには、専門的な能力開発とコミュニティへの関わりが重要な役割を果たす。ポッドキャスティングは、ポッドキャストの制作自体とリスナーとしての参加の両方を通じて、非公式で専門的な能力開発と英語教育コミュニティとの関わりの一形態として台頭してきた。本論は、過去の経験から、制作者とリスナーの両者がポッドキャストに関わることにより、教師の能力開発に貢献できるさまざまな革新的方法を記録し、明らかにする。また、ポッドキャストがいかにして内省的な探究の機会を促し、実践のコミュニティをサポートし、実践的で理論的な知識について議論や交渉する取り組みを支援できるかという点に光を当てる。メディアの一形態としてのポッドキャストの定義を示し、言語教育分野におけるポッドキャストの位置づけを説明した後、ポッドキャストに関わることで得られる可能性のある専門的な能力開発の機会について考察する。

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Saba Qadhi ◽  
Alan Floyd

The Qatari government views English language learning as crucial to the country’s future success. Anecdotal evidence suggests, however, that English language teachers (ELTs) employed in Qatar may not necessarily have the appropriate training, qualifications, and experience to enable them to teach successfully. Despite growing research and interest in the continuing professional development (CPD) experiences and needs of ELTs in Western contexts, there remains a lack of research in Middle Eastern countries in general and in Qatar in particular. The aim of this study was to address this gap by exploring female ELTs’ perceptions and experiences of CPD in Qatar in order to develop new practical and theoretical insights into our understanding of this area. The study draws on data from life history interviews undertaken with 16 female ELTs with at least 3 years of teaching experience in Qatari schools. The study found that the participants had very different experiences of CPD based on their personal and professional characteristics. This suggests that for it to be perceived as a positive experience, the current model of professional development for ELTs may need revising. We propose a paradigm shift from a traditional “one size fits all” CPD model towards a more dynamic and interactive style of teacher development that facilitates both personal reflection and professional discourse among teachers. It is argued that such a shift would prove a considerable step forward for English language teaching in this country.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-193
Author(s):  
Dianne Tyers ◽  
Judy Sillito

For novice and expert English language teaching professionals alike, it is important to understand the dynamic complexity of the context in which we workto intentionally and strategically forge a relevant and personally meaningful, continuing professional development path. English language teaching has longoutgrown a “one-size-fi ts-all” continuing professional development model. Rather, the context in which we teach influences the knowledge and skills weneed to develop and maintain as we move through our careers. This, in turn, drives the strategic choices we make for our continuing professional development.However, what does context in English language teaching actually mean, and how do we unpack its elements to locate ourselves within it? Using a proposedmodel of nested complex dynamic systems, we can first locate ourselves within a broad socioeconomic, complex dynamic system created by the ongoing interaction of a society’s economy, politics, history, geography, technology, culture, language, and education. We can then locate ourselves within multiple complex dynamic systems in the professional, program, and classroom contexts that give shape to and, at times, constrain our agency. Finally, we can consider ourselves, English language teachers, as complex dynamic systems. Each of us is the unique creation of our interacting education and training, professional experience, and self. This complex dynamic systems model can be used to guide teachers, administrators, and funders to intentionally and strategically select, design, or support continuing professional development, leading to teachers’ building knowledge and practice for ongoing success in a rapidly evolving profession. Qu’il s’agisse de débutants ou de professeurs expérimentés, il est important que les professionnels de l’enseignement de l’anglais comprennent la complexité dynamique du contexte dans lequel nous travaillons afin de pouvoir ouvrir intentionnellement et stratégiquement la voie à un mode de perfectionnement professionnel continu qui soit à la fois pertinent et significatif sur le plan personnel. Il y a longtemps que l’enseignement de l’anglais ne tient plus dans un modèle unique de perfectionnement professionnel continu. Il faut plutôt reconnaître que le contexte dans lequel nous enseignons influe sur les connaissances et les compétences que nous devons développer et entretenir au fil de notre carrière, ce qui a pour effet d’orienter les choix stratégiques que nous effectuons pour notre perfectionnement professionnel continu. Mais que signifie réellement le contexte de l’enseignement de l’anglais, et comment en dégageons-nous les éléments afin de nous y inscrire personnellement? À l’aide d’un modèle suggéré de systèmes dynamiques complexes imbriqués, nous pouvons commencer par nous situer dans un vaste système socioéconomique complexe créé par l’interaction continue de l’économie, de la politique, de l’histoire, de la géographie, de la technologie, de la culture, de la langue, et de l’éducation. Nous pouvons ensuite nous situer à l’intérieur de multiples systèmes dynamiques complexes dans les contextes de la profession, du programme, et de la salle de classe qui donnent forme à notre agentivité et parfois la limitent. Enfin, nous pouvons nous considérer nous-mêmes, en tant que professeurs d’anglais, comme des systèmes dynamiques complexes. Nous sommes toutes et tous le produit unique d’une interaction entre notre éducation et notre formation, notre expérience professionnelle et notre identité. Ce modèle de système dynamique complexe peut être utilisé pour amener les enseignants, les administrateurs, et les bailleurs de fonds à sélectionner, concevoir et appuyer intentionnellement et stratégiquement une forme de perfectionnement professionnel continu susceptible d’amener les enseignantes et les enseignants à accumuler des connaissances et des pratiques qui assureront leur succès dans une profession en évolution rapide.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erdem Aksoy ◽  
Derya Bozdoğan ◽  
Mümin Şen

In 2018, a legislative change -law number 2547- resulted in the adoption of the title "instructor", replacing "lecturers, specialists, translators, and education planners" for positions at the different departments of universities. This law also led to an adjustment in the instructor recruitment requirements. Correspondingly, the English language teaching instructors must have completed a master's degree to be hired to work at School of Foreign Languages (SFLs). This paper aims to uncover the opinions and suggestions of School of Foreign Language administrators about this change. This study shows that administrators approach the new requirement unenthusiastically due to the possible problems in hiring instructors. As an alternative criterion to a master's degree in ELT, administrators consider certification, teaching experience and graduate degrees in non-ELT programs. The results suggest that instructors be provided with professional development opportunities that merges theory into practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-139
Author(s):  
Luis Javier Pentón Herrera

Professional development in the K-12 English language teaching (ELT) classroom is an evolving entity that focuses on meeting the needs of changing demographics and latest educational trends. As a result, many texts have been published with the intention of providing the necessary skills educators need for success in their classrooms and to instruct a highly heterogeneous English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) student population. Nonetheless, many of these resources focus on specific scenarios and instructional approaches that may not be applicable for all ESOL teachers. In this Perspectives article, I propose the incorporation of action research as a practice for K-12 teachers with the vision of empowering them to take control of their professional development and continue improving their instructional practices. Furthermore, I share three examples of how I have used action research in my own practice and the benefits obtained by my ESOL department, my ESOL students, and myself as a teacher researcher. Le perfectionnement professionnel dans les classes d’anglais du système d’éducation K-12 est une réalité changeante qui cherche à concilier les besoins de l’évolution démographique avec ceux des dernières tendances éducatives. De nombreux textes ont été publiés afin de procurer aux éducatrices et éducateurs les compétences nécessaires à leur réussite en classe, et également dans le but de renseigner une population étudiante hautement hétérogène dans le système d’enseignement de l’anglais à des apprenants étrangers (ESOL). Toutefois, plusieurs de ces sources mettent l’accent sur des scénarios spécifiques et des démarches pédagogiques qui peuvent ne pas convenir à toutes les enseignantes et tous les enseignants ESOL. Dans cet article de Perspectives, je recommande la pratique de la recherche-action aux enseignantes et enseignants du système d’éducation K-12 en vue de leur permettre de s’autonomiser pour prendre en main leur propre perfectionnement professionnel et continuer d’améliorer leurs pratiques pédagogiques. Je donne également trois exemples de la façon dont j’ai recouru à la recherche-action dans ma propre activité et des avantages qu’en ont tirés mon département ESOL, mes étudiantes et étudiants ESOL, et moi-même comme enseignant chercheur.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Yuan Qingling ◽  
Yuan Qunhua ◽  
Wan Ying

<p>The current situation of educational reforms since 1990s has brought up a booming demand of competent EFL teachers because of economic globalization and further opening-up policy in China. So it’s vital and significant to explore EFL teachers’ professional development in order to promote English language teaching. Based on the Constructivism Perspective in educational psychology and new trends in Second Language Teacher Education, this research focuses on six secondary EFL teachers’ critical incidents and narrates their brief experiences by deep interview and field notes. After categorized analysis through recurring themes, the discussions about four domains (i.e. learning experiences, knowledge &amp; beliefs, teaching practice and social context) are summarized below. These teachers have experienced pre-service &amp; in-service and formal &amp; informal learning that has different features. Secondly, they hold some common knowledge &amp; beliefs, which are always developing but fluctuate with realities. Next, their language teaching develops from initial to survival then to mastery and personalization, but each stage is distinctive in different situations. Social context facilitates or constrains their professional development, but their responses to it are various to seek personal and professional balance. In conclusion, it interprets five interactive factors in the process of teacher professional development: Normal education and professional programs play essential roles; Self-directed teaching &amp; school-based activities provide diverse paths; Perfection of language &amp; teaching serves as peculiar professional qualities; Love for students &amp; love for teaching functions as original driving force; Chinese social context works as potential external stimuli. Finally, it presents some feasible suggestions.</p>


2014 ◽  
pp. 1758-1780
Author(s):  
Paul Breen

This chapter looks at a practical example of staff development and considers how professional development of teachers should be an essential component of enhancing provision within higher educational institutions not just in terms of pedagogy but also in respect of developing programmes and marketing those programmes. Set within the specific context of English Language teaching for international students, the research is based on a case study of two trainee teachers on a DELTA programme (Diploma in English Language Teaching for Adults). These teachers have been interviewed at two different stages of their development, firstly whilst doing the DELTA course, and then one year later, by which time they have completed the course. Through analysing their responses in a qualitative fashion, the author examines whether teacher development has a positive impact on the higher educational institution as a whole, and whether it leads to an improved student experience or a heightened consciousness of that student experience on the part of teachers. At the heart of this chapter, there is a metaphor taken from Medical Science to define the best approach to teacher education and development, namely, what the author labels an intramuscular approach. The author takes this term from a medical process of giving injections that are placed deep within muscles so that the particular drug or medicine is released slowly over a period of time rather than in a standard one-shot manner. There is no quick fix solution to teacher development, and having a long-term vision contributes far more to organisations in terms of the ultimate student experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-65
Author(s):  
Zsófia Széll

Creativity is a term that has proven difficult to define. The field of English language teaching (ELT) especially struggles with this concept, often treating it as an axiom that eludes clear definition or a notion that everyone has an implicit understanding of. In other pieces of research, creativity is equated with divergent thinking as evidenced and measured by performance on different standardized creativity tests. In contrast to these views, this paper argues that sound research begins with a clear definition of key terms; as such, there is a need to establish a suitable model of creativity specifically for the field of ELT. After a review of notable existing views and definitions, a new model for creativity in ELT is outlined. The two-way model of creativity proposes that certain conditions enable creativity through specific tasks that allow for creativity to emerge. This will produce creative results that eventually have a reactive effect on the conditions.


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