School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
The ‘Good’ Language Teacher: Implications for Policy in Language Teacher Education
Professor Simon Borg
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
The Good Teacher ‌ with the right opportunity and support, we have seen that our students can learn to be more creative and innovative. But it takes good teachers ‌ (21st Century Skills, p. xxvi)
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
… there seems to be a consensus, at least intellectually, about what a good teacher is …
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
LTE Policy Suggestion #1 LTE policy needs to be based on an explicit statement of the attributes of a ‘good’ teacher. This defines the goals which will inform subsequent decisions about LTE.
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
The ‘Good’ English Teacher • • • •
Knowledgeable Reflective Research-engaged Motivated
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Teacher Knowledge Linguistic/Literary Discrete Theoretical External Universal Implementation
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Teacher Knowledge Knowledge for teaching Integrated Practical Personal Situated Experiential Interpretation/Creation
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
LTE Policy Suggestions #2. Design LTE curricula to develop a multidimensional knowledge base. #3. Structure the LTE curriculum to develop an integrated knowledge base. #4. Make experiential learning central to LTE pedagogy and assessment.
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Reflection conscious recall and examination of [an] experience as a basis for evaluation and decision-making and as a source for planning and action. (Richards 1991: 4)
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Most teacher educators would argue that reflection is an essential tool in professional development. (Burton, 2009: 300)
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Reflective Practice 9 9 9 9 9
Awareness Understanding Decision-making Teacher autonomy Teacher responsibility
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
LTE Policy Suggestions #5. Integrate reflection into pedagogy and assessment in LTE. #6. Articulate & communicate a coherent rationale for reflective practice. #7. Provide teachers with modelling and training in reflective practice.
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Research Engagement
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
LTE Policy Suggestions #8. Promote research-informed LTE. #9. Require all teachers to complete a research project. #10. Ensure that research engagement has pedagogical relevance. #11. Create conditions conducive to research engagement.
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Teacher Motivation
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Teacher Motivation
Teacher motivation is affected by: Accountability Security The demands of policy Pay and career progression Status and vocational commitment Teacher competence Working and living conditions Teacher management & professional support (Teacher Motivation in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, DFID, 2007)
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
LTE Policy Suggestions #12. Provide induction for new teachers. #13. Increase opportunities for PD. #14. Define clear routes for career progression. #15. Create competitive working conditions.
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
Other Policy Considerations
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
To Sum Up
School of Education Faculty of Education, Social Sciences & Law
The ‘Good’ Language Teacher: Implications for Policy in Language Teacher Education
Professor Simon Borg