Growing as Teachers: EFL professional development

Growing as Teachers: EFL Professional Development

Margarita Maria Lopez P.

14th National ELT Conference Innovation and Professional Development in ELT

Growing as Teachers: EFL Professional Development

Margarita Maria Lopez Universidad of Caldas Sep 19,20,21, 2011

Do you sometimes feel like this? :

Or like this :

Or even like this?!!

How often do we, as teachers, …  Self-observe …………  Self- analyze…………..  Self-evaluate……………  Self-actualized ………… (classes, material, students, methodology, etc)

The English teacher as: A PROFESSIONAL  Knows about the language  Produces real world changes  Manages the classroom  Innovates

A TECHNICIAN  can be a native English speaker  is skilled in speaking AN ACADEMIC  is a professional  a researcher  a lecturer  a writer

Professional English Teachers ….  are a community  are committed  are autonomous  are responsible for training new teachers  publish  learn

Professional Goals (Pennington 1990)

 a knowledge of the theoretical foundations of language learning and language teaching.  2. the analytical skills necessary for assessing different teaching contexts and classroom conditions  3. an awareness of alternative teaching techniques and the ability to put these into practice.

 4. the confidence and skill to alter your teaching techniques as needed  5. practical experience with different teaching techniques as needed  6. informed knowledge of yourself and students  7. interpersonal communication skills  8. attitudes of flexibility and openness to change

Attributes of a “Good” EFL Teacher

(Allen, 1980)

 Competent preparation leading to a degree in TESOL  A love of the English language  Critical thinking  The persistent urge to upgrade oneself  Self-subordination  Readiness to go the extra mile  Cultural adaptability  Professional citizenship  A feeling of excitement about one´s work

10 Macrostrategies for realizing teaching goals (kumaravadivelu, 2003)  Maximazing learning opportunities  Minimizing perceptual mismatches  Facilitating negotiated interaction  Promoting learner autonomy  Fostering Language awareness  Activating intuitive heuristics  Contextualizing linguistic input  Integrating language skills  Ensuring social relevance  Raising cultural consciousness

Ways to continue growing as professionals: Brown (2001)

ďƒźClassroom observation

Ways to continue growing as professionals: ďƒźClassroom research

Ways to continue growing as professionals:

Teacher collaboration: Learning from each other:     

Peer coaching Team teaching Action Research Collaborative curriculum development and revision Teacher support groups

Ways to continue growing as professionals: ďƒźCritical Pedagogy

Ways to continue growing as professionals:

 Participating in professional associations  Attending local, national or international conferences

 Subscribing to journals about language teaching and learning  Offering to review texts for publishers or journals

Ways to continue growing as professionals:

 Participating in electronic discussion groups  Using the internet to access language teaching and learning websites and electronic journals

 Give in-service workshops and seminars for teachers

Ways to continue growing as professionals:  Participate in graduate programs to augment and update your kowledge and skills  Participate in research projects

 Being mentored by experienced colleagues and then becoming mentor to novice teachers

Ways to continue growing as professionals:

Reflective teaching:

ďƒź An activity or process in which experience is recalled, considered and evaluated in relation to a broader purpose. (Richards,1996)

ďƒź It is a response to a past experience and involves conscious recall and examination of the experience as a basis for evaluation and decision making and as a source for planning and action (Farrell 1995).

An approach towards Reflective Teaching

Teachers collect information about their teaching either individually or through collaborating with a colleague,

Make decisions about their teaching Select strategies to carry them out.

Some Reflective Teaching Techniques Keeping a teaching journal Writing lesson reports Carrying out surveys and questionnaires. Audio or videotaping lessons. Carrying out action research  Observing or being observed by peers or colleagues.

(Richards and Lockhart, 1996)

Professional Development Strategies Grants and Scholarships  Fulbright www.fulbright.org  USAID www.usaid.gov  US State Department http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/index.html  English Language Fellow (ELF) http://elf.georgetown.edu/ http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW& oppId=93293

 Reviewing textbooks for Journals, Publishers, Newsletters TEFL.net  Participating in online webinars, symposiums and/or coursework

Organizations & Opportunities  International TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) www.tesol.org USA  Global Memberships  Grants and Awards for Convention Participation Professional Development Grants- 1 for each year of the organization (43+) Betty Azar grants  Opportunities for involvement Serving as a proposal reader Volunteering at the Convention or on a Standing Committee Taking online coursework Attending TESOL Advocacy Day Undertaking the TESOL Leadership Development Certificate Attending an International Symposium Taking a TESOL Academy course

Organizations & Opportunities  Center for Advanced Research in Language Acquisition (CARLA) USA http://www.carla.umn.edu/

Involvement Opportunities Language Teacher Education Conference every other year Conference proceedings Conference planning opportunities Proposal reviewing Training programs

Organizations & Opportunities  Association of Supervisors and Curricular Developers (ASCD) USA

www.ascd.org

 Institutional Membership  Monthly or Quarterly free books with membership

Opportunities for involvement Free webinars Blogs Online courses Online library Materials Writing for ASCD Conferences

Organizations & Opportunities  International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) UK www.iatefl.org Scholarships

Opportunities for involvement • Conferences Grants Trainings Serving as a proposal reader Volunteering at the Convention or on a Standing Committee Taking online coursework

Organizations & Opportunities  American Association for Applied Linguistics USA  The American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), www.aaal.org Scholarships

Opportunities for involvement Conferences Grants Serving as a proposal reader Volunteering at the conference

Organizations & Opportunities  American Educational Research Association www.aera.net Fellowship Program

Opportunities for involvement Conferences Grants Serving as a proposal reader Volunteering at the conference

In Conclusion…

“You are not merely a language teacher. You are much more than that. You are an agent for change in a world in desperate need of change: change from competition to cooperation, from powerlessness to empowerment, from conflict to resolution, from prejudice to understanding. “ (Brown 2001)

Margarita Mar铆a L贸pez P. Universidad de Caldas maestria.didacticaingles@ucaldas.edu.co

Peer Observation Tips: •Meet before to determine goals. Those goals should be decided by the observed teacher.

•During the observation, the observer should remain inconspicuous, with a neutral expression. Take notes on student- behavior and reasons for it.

•Meet soon after observation while impressions are fresh. Elicit observed teacher’s impressions.

Peer Observation Tips •The observer gives her impressions using the “sandwich method”: Something positive – something that needs to be improved –

something positive.

•Focus on teacher’s goals. Encourage your colleague. Don’t get caught up in petty criticisms.

Good Language Teaching Characteristics TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE 1. Understands the linguistic systems of English phonology, grammar and discourse.

2. Comprehensively grasps basic principle of language learning and teaching.

3. Has fluent competence in speaking, writing , listening to , and reading English.

4. Knows through experience what it is like to learn a foreign language.

5. Understands the close connection between language and culture.

6.Keeps up with the field through regular reading and

Good Language Teaching Characteristics PEDAGOGICAL SKILLS 7.Has a well thought out, informed approach to language teaching.

8.Understands and has experience using a wide variety of techniques.

9. Efficiently designs and executes lesson plans.

10. Monitors lessons as they unfold and makes effective mid-lesson alterations.

11. Effectively perceives students’ linguistic needs.

12. Gives optimal feedback to students.

13. Stimulates interaction, cooperation and teamwork in the classroom.

14. Uses appropriate principles of classroom management.

15. Uses effective, clear presentation skills.

16. Creatively adapts textbook material and other audio, visual, and mechanical aids.

17. Innovatively creates brand new materials when needed.

18. Uses interactive, intrinsically motivating techniques to create effective tests.

Good Language Teaching Characteristics INTERPERSONAL SKILLS 19. Is aware of cross-cultural differences and sensitive to students’ cultural traditions.

20.Enjoys people, shows enthusiasm, warmth, rapport and appropriate humor.

21. Values the opinions and abilities of students.

22. Is patient in working with students of lesser ability.

23. Offers challenges to students of exceptionally high ability.

24. Cooperates harmoniously and candidly with colleagues (fellow teachers).

25. Seeks opportunities to share thoughts, ideas and

Good Language Teaching Characteristics PERSONAL QUALITIES

26. Is well-organized, conscientious in meeting commitments, and dependable.

27. Is flexible when things go awry.

28. Maintains an inquisitive mind in trying out new ways of teaching.

29. Sets short-term and long-term goals for continued professional growth.

30. Maintains and exemplifies high ethical and moral standards.

(H.D. Brown, 2001)