Dave Hopkins (2014)

DEVELOPING TEACHING
Dave Hopkins, Thongsook College International Programs, 2014
ABSTRACT
This article explores professional development strategies that can be
employed by the teacher. It aims at the question, “How can I become a
better teacher?” The answer is found in the process of critical reflection
upon how we teach, and intelligent action to make it better. The strategies
suggested here engage the teacher in reflecting upon their teaching and
the connection between teaching and learning. Anyone who has been in
the classroom knows: 1) there are no easy answers, and 2) it’s all about the
learners. When we become professionally involved in exploring what we do,
and how it might influence our learners, we become part of the community
of learners in our classroom. There can be no greater satisfaction.

Table of Contents
Development Strategies
• Intro 3
• Pre Thinking 3
• Professional development 4
• Looking at where we are? 6
• Learning versus teaching 7
• Needs assessment & profiling 9
Strategies for Self Development
• Intro 13
• Activities for teacher development 13
• Pre-requisites for professional development 14
• Teacher development in a post method perspective 16
• Strategic Reading 18
• Learning a language 19
• Doing Action Research 21
• Teacher Development Groups 27
• Peer Observation & Coaching 28
• Curriculum & Syllabus Review 32
• Portfolio Development 34
• Reflective Journals 36
• Peer Reviews & Coaching 39
• Co Teaching 40
• Presentations and workshops 41
• Miniversity 42
• Writing about teaching & learning 43
• Bibliography 45
developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 2

Introduction
Learning how to teach is a noble pursuit. There are those who tend towards the
simplistic idea that teachers are born, not made. I cannot subscribe to this idea.
After teaching, training and observing teachers for more than 40 years I have
seen many teachers who had a natural inclination to do the “the right thing” in the
classroom, but I have never seen a teacher who couldn’t benefit from reflective
teacher development. This text is not comprehensive, and does not suggest that
these are the only ways for teachers to develop your knowledge and practices. It
attempts to keep the focus on the learner. What can the teacher do to “influence”
student learning? It aims for what Earl Stevick called, Meaningful Action (2013).
Stevick provides a legend to follow. Throughout his career, he never got to a
point where he felt he knew it all, far from it. He kept trying new ideas and new
approaches to the classroom and his students. He was always exploring, poking
around the edges and the “inside and between” of the teaching–learning process.
Lets see what we can find to satisfy our quest.
Development Strategies
Professional development is often constructed around institutional resources, but
this need not be the case. The most effective and creative learning we do
ourselves, following our own instincts for what we want to learn, and how we
want to learn it. One might argue that with or without institutional support, all
teacher development comes down to the individual focus and effort.
Kumaravadivelu (2002) puts it succinctly, do you want to be a skilled technician
following the ideas and practices of others, or do you want to be an informed
intellectual following your own path to knowledge and practice? Let us assume
for the sake of this text that you want to be an “informed intellectual,” and forge
your own path based on your study of the field of language and teaching, and
your individual principles and beliefs on how learning and teaching works. This
will take no small commitment on your part, but it will be fun, and its own reward.
In and of itself, learning teaching can be a lifelong adventure that never lets you
go. Enjoy every minute of it, and bring that enjoyment to your students.
PreThinking
Many of the teachers with whom I work enter the classroom with idealized
views about creating a learning environment that is interactive and
communicative, only to find themselves obsessed with classroom control
and discipline. They are surprised when they find that their students don’t
respond in kind to an activity that they, as students, once found enjoyable.

Their knowledge of classroom life tends to be limited to what they
experienced as students and thus does not account for what they
experience as they enter the classroom as a teacher. This dilemma is
supported by recent research which suggests that teachers learn about
teaching through their prolonged apprenticeship of observation and that
these experiences have a much greater impact upon learning to teach
than the content or their experiences in any sort of teacher education
program (Carter, 1990; Kagan, 1992) Understanding Language Teaching,
Karen Johnson, 1999.
Johnson goes on to say that as teachers learn to teach they progress through
stages of “concern” focusing first on how to maintain a level of classroom order
and decorum that fits their personal needs and the requirements of the institution.
This may take some time, and I would suggest that some teachers never really
escape this level. The more proficient and confident tend to blend entertainment
and intimidation to achieve a sort of rapprochement with their students. Others
use the power of their personalities to either bring the students under their spell,
or keep them guessing. One cannot criticize this tendency for order as
establishing individual security for oneself and one’s students is job one.
Once the teacher reaches a state of procedural comfort with their classroom
environment, they may embark on a more introspective journey to examine what
they are doing, and what the students are doing. This requires a certain comfort
with the classroom context, but more important, it demands a capability for self-
criticism. Critical reflection is not natural for many. John Fanslow (2010) suggests,
“Try the Opposite,” which is one way to escape the chains of routinized
instruction patterns. This means trying out things that have been considered
beyond the pale. A second strategy is the skill training approach of certificate
training programs, which provide instructional models to expand and build on. A
third approach takes the teacher on a reflective exploration of their beliefs, values
and theories of learning to create space for new teaching practices. The first two
seem to work best for newer teachers looking to get a head start in the
classroom, or more experienced teachers looking for a “quick fix.”
Professional development programs take a more extensive approach to the

process, and may have the best chance of producing verifiable results. Time
alone does not change teaching practices, but time plus focused effort may. In
other words, experience, in and of itself, is not enough to bring about more
effective teaching. It may allow the teacher to develop the procedures for better

classroom control referred to above, but it is doubtful that we learn from
experience in the classroom any better than we do in any other human endeavor.
I grant that there are exceptions, but I would suggest that in these cases the
individual teacher carried into the classroom the strategies and behaviors that
allowed them to develop once the initial security needs were met.
I suspect there will be experienced professional teachers that will argue

vehemently with this contention that experience alone does not produce better
teachers. The key words in the previous sentence are, “…experience alone…”
Most fulltime teachers do many of the things that I will be suggesting, and most
school systems require some level of professional development activity. I will
stand by the argument that experience alone is not a sufficient condition for
teacher development.
For most, professional development offers the opportunity and the time to
examine what they are doing, perceive what the students are doing, and, make
some intelligent decisions on what might be done better. Just to make clear here
what we are talking about, professional development would involve a process
where teachers are engaged in:
1. Critical reflection upon what they are doing

2. Analysis and exploration of alternatives
3. Considered application of new ideas
It is suggested here that there are no best practices to be inserted into the
teacher’s program, but rather, alternative practices, which might prove to have
better outcomes under certain circumstances. This is not a simple formula, and
the tendency towards quick fixes with best practices misses the point. If exposure
to and practice of classroom techniques and behaviors were enough, it would be
easy. It certainly is easier to approach the issue of teacher learning and
development from the skills angle. There is even a pretty handy justification. After
all, if the teacher doesn’t know what to do, then it is hard to do much to facilitate
the students learning. Even the best practices sobriquet works adequately since
the eclectic soup is not much of an answer. Some practices are better than
others, and some theories and methods have a broader application than others.
So where do we go from here to develop our teacher learning?

Looking at where we are – A work in progress.
There is a basic axiom of learning that proposes, start where the learner is and
progress from there. An extension of this idea is the proposition that people don’t
learn new things unless they can attach them to something they already know.
Thus, the first task in teacher development is to look carefully at what the teacher
is doing, and what are the outcomes of the attitudes, actions and approaches
being employed. This is neither quick nor easy, but requires ongoing spiraling of
the three points in the process above – critical reflection, analysis of alternatives
and considered application.
A teacher is not going to revise their whole teaching program in a single class.
For my first experience of teacher observation I asked an expert, Dr. David
Trumbull (Founder of the MAT program at the Graduate Institute of The School
for International Training), what I should look for. His advice was, “Focus on one
thing that the teacher will be able to see, accept, and act upon in the next class.”
When I consider the checklists that I have used or produced since that time, this
simple formula gives pause for thought. It is likely that when we look at a class,
our own or others, we can find a myriad of things that went wrong, or at least
need improvement. The trick for teacher development is determining:
1. What do I do and why? This is harder than it sounds because if we really

did “see and understand” our missteps, why wouldn’t we make the needed
changes? Thus, are we really conscious that something needs to be
done?
2. What is to be done? In any teaching situation there are multiple, but
limited alternatives. We should consider more than one, but it is not even
necessary to choose the best option since we don’t know what the best is.
It is necessary to make a choice, and look at the reasons why this choice
might be effective based upon our experience and our knowledge of
learning theory.
3. Considered application. As Donald Freeman points out (1996) reflective
teaching is not enough without intelligent action. In other words, it’s not
enough to examine what we have done and how it might be improved, but
there is a need to do something about it. Not only do something, but also
consider carefully what has been done in terms of the desired results.
It is doubtful that we can apply this thinking to more than one or two points at a
time. Both the professional observer, and the reflective teacher are faced with the
same problem. What is the one thing that I can learn right now from this
experience, and do something about tomorrow? Equally important, do I have the

resources, knowledge and skills to apply better, or at least, alternative practices?
Moreover, is there something in my principles set that is blocking my range of
alternatives?
The last one is a tough one since it involves critical self-reflection, and what
Paulo Freire (1970) called, “problematization.” It is relevant here since the only
way to expand ones range of learning-teaching principles is the critical
examination of the controlling principles already in place.
To problematize a statement, for example, one asks simple questions:

● Who is making this statement?
● For whom is he or she making it?
● Why is this statement being made here, now?
● Whom does this statement benefit?
● Whom does it harm?
(Describing Freire, 1976)
Learning vs. teaching.
We should judge creativity in the classroom by what the teacher makes

possible for the student to do, not just by what the teacher does. (Stevick,
1980)
Since the main point in the classroom is the students’ learning, we have to look
at what the teacher does in terms of its effect upon what was learned. There is a
considerable problem here in that we don’t really know what the student is
learning, and must guess from incomplete circumstantial evidence. I will not at
this point go through the complete litany attached to this proposition, but a quote
from Dave Willis says it very nicely.
What is taught is not necessarily what is learnt, and what is learned as not
necessarily what was taught. (Willis, 2003)
What we are left with in our professional development efforts is a best guess
scenario based upon:
1. What seems to have been learned in the lesson?

2. What evidence indicates this learning occurred?
3. What did the teacher do to facilitate the learning?

There are certainly more sophisticated processes, but these questions,
consistently applied and with the results analyzed, are as good as anything
available in the teacher development literature. The successful application
depends upon practice and experience with real classrooms.
Vignette 1
Ray introduced the unit on Family Business by asking the students to talk
about the picture in the book. He then elicited responses about the picture,
and asked the students to talk to each other and make notes about their
own family businesses, or family businesses they knew about. After
eliciting ideas from the students, Ray gave several examples of well-
known family businesses, and matched them with “colors” which
symbolize these businesses. Next, he wrote the vocabulary from the unit
on the board and elicited meanings from the students with the books
closed. The students were enthusiastic, but he realized that only some of
the students were participating. Next, he brought up the E Board, and
went through the vocabulary activities with the students providing the
answers at the board. Finally, he handed out a copy of the reading with
the vocabulary words blanked out for the student to fill in. The students got
most of the answers, especially as they shared results and helped each
other.
What was learned? How do we know? What did the teacher do to contribute to
the learning?
Analysis 1
A simple answer to what was learned would be the vocabulary words in
the context of the reading, the evidence being the blank completions in the
reading text. However, this does not tell us much about what was learned
in “this” lesson, since we don’t know how much the students already knew,
and, how much depended upon the collaborative sharing of the
information during the exercise. The teacher’s facilitation seems pretty
clear from modeling to discussion to elicitation, but if we were to get a
better reading on the vocabulary that was learned, it might be a good idea
for students to use the vocabulary words in a writing task of their own
creation. This idea being the point of asking the questions, and suggesting
how they might be better answered in another lesson.

How do we go beyond the logjam of the individual lesson, and get into the
dynamic, nonlinear, process of language learning and development? The lesson
observation shows us a single frame in a process that probably extends beyond
the average shelf life of the teacher. Even if there were a longer time span to
study the effects of a single teacher, it still would not tell us much about the
learning of the students who cycle through their classroom. What is needed is a
process by which data on the effects of learning can be collected over many
years, allowing periodic study to gain glimpses of what students are learning;
what is the evidence for this learning; and, how teachers might facilitate the
process. We also need to assume that this “process” will be self-reflective and
self-instructional, thus becoming, professional development.
Professional teacher development must have as its mission to enhance the

learning of students in a given educational context through the conscious actions
of the teachers, both individually and as a group. It is the mandate of a
professional development program to initiate and develop strategies to engage
the teacher in this process, and to measure their success in maximizing student
learning. The task of the individual teacher motivated to maximize their skills is
to:
1. Explore the life and learning context, needs and expectations of the
learners.
2. Conceptualize appropriate connections between what the learners know
and what they need to know.
3. Adopt and adapt strategies that will facilitate this learning.
Needs Assessment & Profiling

The first step will be to find out what is needed to enhance the teacher’s skills to
facilitate learning? What are the skills, principles and knowledge that will lead to
better teaching? Well, it depends. It depends upon the teachers, the teaching-
learning context and the students. Who are the teachers? What are their values
and beliefs about learning and teaching? Who are the students, and what are
their values and beliefs about learning. And, not insignificantly, who are the
administrative stakeholders and what are their beliefs and values about
education and learning?
The initial steps towards teacher development will involve asking two questions,
who are the teachers? And, what do they need that will contribute to the learning
of their students? The needs assessment, and the profiling will go hand in hand
to provide the substrata of professional development. Moreover, the survey of

teachers will have to cover not only the teachers’ educational beliefs, but also the
beliefs of the students and the program managers:
a. What are the principles and beliefs of the teachers? Of the students? Of
the managers?
b. What teaching enhancements might be needed to facilitate learning in the
opinion of the teachers, the students and the managers?
Kumaravadivelu (2002) refers to the potential of perceptual mismatches as a

source of misunderstanding about what is being learned in the classroom. The
point being, we must be aware of the different ways in which the learning is
perceived in the classroom, if we are to make any progress towards developing
the skills and principles of the teacher. Consider,
To a large extent what goes “in” is determined by how learners perceive

the usefulness of the classroom events through which they are exposed to
input….(Kumaravadivelu, 2002)
Kumaravadivelu goes on to say that there have been, “… very few

systematic studies on learner and teacher perceptions in the field of
classroom L2 learning and teaching” (Kumaravadivelu). One study
referred to cites a South Africa case where the teachers were very
surprised to see the importance that the students placed on learning
“mechanical language skills” (Barkhuisen 1998 in Kumaravadivelu 2002). In
another the
teacher spent significant class time on a job skills exercise, which
the students mostly wrote off, while they spoke highly of a “news
reviewing” task that the teacher thought hardly deserved mention
(Block,1996 in Kumaravadivelu 2002).
Kumaravadivelu identifies ten possible areas of mismatches between learner and

teacher perceptions.
● Cognitive. This refers to the difference between the learner’s knowledge
stock and the teacher’s.
● Communicative. The difference between what the learner understands
and what the teacher intends.
● Linguistic. The language proficiency gap between learner and teacher in
terms of what is communicated.

● Pedagogic. The difference between what the teacher believes is important,
as opposed to what the students interpret as important in a given
classroom activity.
● Strategic. The mismatch between what the teacher expects the students
to do in a specific exercise, and what they actually do. For example,
teacher expects considerable discussion and negotiation between pairs,
but the students resolve the question in the simplest terms to arrive at a
quick answer.
● Cultural. The variations in the significance of actions and artifacts in
different cultures. For example, a teacher might ask students why
someone might pat another person on the back, not realizing the
implications in some Asian cultural contexts.
● Evaluative. The inconsistency between what the teacher says is right, and
what the student has formed as a self-evaluative standard or
interlanguage.
● Procedural. A mismatch between the learner’s approach to a problem, and
the expectations of the teacher for how to find a resolution. For example, a
learner might suggest a walk around/drive around approach to renting an
apartment, while the teacher is looking for a top-down review of classified
ads.
● Instructional. An example is the difference between what the student
understands by “remember,” and what the teacher intends – i.e. the
student thinks, “memorize” while the teacher only means, “take note of.”
● Pragmatic. This often occurs when the student chooses a word from past
learning or L1 reference, which does not match what the teacher has in
mind – e.g. the difference between “costly” and “too expensive,” in …the
hat was costly/too expensive. (Kumaravadivelu, 2002)
The wide range of perceptual mismatches is important because they significantly

alter our assessment of what is being learned in the classroom. I would add to
the above teacher illusions, meaning the difference between what the teacher
thinks is being learned based upon his own intentions, and what the learner is
taking in based upon his perspectives and underlying frameworks. Suffice to say;
there is sufficient evidence to suggest that needs assessment must include both
teachers and students. Furthermore, determination of what is needed by the
teacher in terms of professional development must translate into what is needed
by the learner.

A word on definitions. Skills, refers to the actions and behaviors of the
teacher in rendering a lesson for their students. For example, this means
the ability of the teacher to provide context and modeling to promote
understanding; ask engaging questions; or, initiate SS interaction.
Principles are the underlying values or beliefs that motivate the teacher to
act in certain ways, or activate specific teaching skills. The teacher may
ask the students to form groups, and discuss a question. The skill being
facilitation of task-based discussion, and the principle being the teacher’s
belief that learning will be enhanced through group discussion and the
sharing of ideas.
Needs assessment and teacher-student profiling is a complex issue and

deserves our critical attention. The multiple perceptions of the classroom means
it is not enough to know “who” the teachers are, but we must know “who” the
students are and how they are juxtaposed in the classroom. It is not an
impossible task, nor reason to give up on the question. It is sufficiently important
to receive proper consideration in our quest for professional development.
So how do we do this? I don’t believe that this is so much a “step” in the process,
as “part” of the process. What I mean here is that as we work on teacher
development, we are also collecting and analyzing information on teachers and
students. It is a multi-lane highway to our goal of professional development. This
will also be true of the other strategies for development. Perhaps we can view
professional development as a three-pronged operation – needs assessment &
profiling, individual action and collaborative strategies.

individual
actions
needs
assessment & collaborative
strategies
pro=iling
Teacher
Development
Strategies for Self Development

Individual professional development assumes a certain level of commitment and
self-management. It is not easy to say whether this approach is most appropriate
for beginning, mid-career or experienced teachers. It does occur that anyone
contemplating personal professional development needs to:
1. Have a plan. This means a schedule of what will be done and when.
2. Define the means of reflection. This might be a journal, or perhaps
recorded dialogues.
3. Publish the results. This would usually be an article, or a presentation. The
important thing is that the teacher should publish, make public, the results
to elicit feedback and take responsibility for their own development as
viewed critically by other professionals, what is commonly known as “peer
review.”
Let’s look at some strategies for approaching professional development.
Activities for Teacher Development

Individual One-to-One Group Based Institutional
Self-monitoring Peer coaching Case studies Workshops
Journal based Peer Action research Action research
Critical incidentsobservations Journal writing Teacher support
Teaching Critical Teacher support groups
portfolios friendships groups
Action research Action research
Critical incidents
Team teaching
(Table Jack C. Richards;Thomas S. C. Farrell. 2005)

Prerequisites for professional development
A. Decide what you want to be able to DO that you can’t do now. Richards &
Farrell put it more traditionally in terms of, “What do you want to learn…?”
That’s fine, but one would hope that there were some sort of outcome that
would indicate if something had been learned. Conventionally, this would be
some sort of action, expression or production that would show that something
had, in fact, been learned. Just to ease the mind of the practitioner, there are
some examples below.
● Write a journal
● Practice a new technique
● Make a presentation
● Facilitate a workshop
● Write an article
● Participate in a discussion
These are not all “terminal” outcomes, nor are they meant to be. It is important to
both define final products, and demonstrations of a work in progress. Probably a
two-level process would be sufficient. For example,
Using task based project groups.
1. Research the topic

a. Read articles and texts
b. Observe class(es)
c. Write journal notes
d. Write a lesson plan
e. Discuss with teaching partner
2. Implement
a. Teach project based lessons
b. Write self evaluation
c. Review video or audio recording
d. Discuss and annotate with peer teacher
B. Determine a strategy for knowledge and skill development. The

strategies already mentioned include this and assume that the teacher has a
strategy in mind, or has acquired one from the processes.
1. Strategic reading. In other words, focused reading for approaches to
learning about the topic.

2. Discussions with peers. Don’t forget to use your Internet connection
here. There are numerous groups out there on LinkedIn, TESOL and
even Facebook that can help you with this.
3. Make a plan. Obvious, and it can be as informal as a set of notes, but it
is critical.
C. Set time frames and how you will share the results. Apart from the
obvious, your criteria for sharing the outcomes will motivate and enhance
your learning. We seem to learn best when we teach, something. The time
frames are equally important as left to our own inclination; things tend to get
lost in the shuffle. One final suggestion here is to be realistic about both the
time frames and the results.
One has to admit that there is a certain attraction and potential value to an ad
hoc approach to professional development at the individual level. The only
problem with this is uncertainty. It is uncertain if it will be effective, and it is
uncertain what the results will be. There is also the question of whether most
people are capable of fundamentally changing the way they teach since the way
we teach is closely linked to our perceived personality, and our beliefs about
teaching and learning. The potential for changing basic principles and beliefs is a
challenge.
However, two important points should be considered here. One, it is doubtful that
any change in basic principles will occur without conscious awareness and
consideration of one’s beliefs. If we don’t know the baggage that we are carrying
around, it is not likely that we will make changes in the roots for our teaching.
Secondly, broadening the options within our belief sets has value in and of itself.
Suffice to say, that a certain commitment to change must be part of our approach
to professional development. John Fanslow’s admonition, “Try the Opposite,” has
an appeal just in terms of shaking up our options in the classroom, and
reordering our belief sets. Back in the ALM days, there was a shock effect to
Caleb Gattegno’s Silent Way that accomplished this reordering of priorities. It is
also worth keeping in mind the very scary conclusion that can be drawn from
Lortie (2002) that teachers usually teach as they were taught. Lets hope that this
is sufficient warning to keep us searching for teaching and learning alternatives
that are outside the box, particularly the one we create for ourselves for comfort
reasons.

Teacher Development in Post Method Perspective
It is popular to decry the methodologies that have gone before as being,
“…idealized concepts geared towards idealized contexts.” (Kumaravadivelu,
1994) I don’t think Lado, Gattenno, Ascher, Curran, Berlitz, Gouin, Vygotsky and
others would be inclined to agree. While these gentlemen often “idealized” their
methods as part of their sales pitch, most knowing teachers did not apply these
methods as a complete package. As Diane Larsen-Freeman points out, the
“myth of intactness” is seldom found in real classrooms. “…it is not surprising to
find that teachers who claim to be practicing a given method do different things in
the classroom.” (Larsen-Freeman, 1999)
Diane Larsen-Freeman offers some clarifying thoughts to this argument.
First of all, it must be explicitly acknowledged that language teaching

methods do reflect ideological positions. Methods are not just empty
vehicles delivering language content. David Sarnoff, founder of the
National Broadcast Company in the United States, once declared in a
speech that there is nothing wrong with technology. It is how it is used that
is at issue. Marshall McLuhan retorted, that, in fact, it is the medium that is
the message. It is the case, then, that the medium — in our case,
language teaching methods — at least partly determine and impose
themselves on our thinking and behavior. (Larsen-Freeman, 1999)
Once you admit that method does exert an influence, one must also admit that
the influence is limited by some very strong factors. Larsen-Freeman poses the
following constraints upon the wholesale adoption of a method.
● The myth of inclusive generalizations. Methods are not aimed at “whole”

cultures or groups. They deal with individuals within a particular classroom,
and the entire range of psychological and sociological differences that this
implies. They deal with features of the human learning psych that are
more or less standard equipment in human beings.
● The myth that imposition leads to implementation. Just because I find
some features of the Silent Way, or Suggestapedia fit my principles of
learning does not mean that I implement the entire kit and caboodle of the
method, and use it all the time. It is highly unlikely that there are many
method clones out there given the recalcitrant nature of the average
individual.
● The myth of intactness. This follows from the previous myth in that most
teachers are highly unlikely to adapt their teaching in whole to one
particular method. It is much more plausible that teachers will use pieces
of a variety of methods to fit the needs of their learners depending upon

their judgment of appropriateness. One of my colleagues suggested that
her method was a smorgasbord of methodological dishes served up as
indicated by the learners (Thank you Carolyn Andrade!)
● The myth of immutability. No teacher comes out of a teacher development
program with a fully functional capability to implement the ideas they have
been exposed to. It may take some time and considerable trial and error
for the individual to fit these ideas into their own beliefs and principles of
teaching-learning. By the time that happens it is highly possible that the
original ideas may have undergone some sort of transformation. (Larsen-
Freeman, 1999)
I find the post method experts a bit shrill at times since I think we can count on
the constraints outlined above to assure that we as teachers don’t just become
vehicles to transmit methods taught in teacher preparation or development
courses. In 45 years in TESOL I have run across precious few individuals who
espoused and practice a single method, with the possible exception of ALM,
which by its very nature tended to form habits. Even ALM as a movement didn’t
last very long as the forces in the nature of students and teachers began to eat
away at the foundations. We are wonderfully contrary creatures, and educational
fashions are no more (or less) addictive than other influences imposed upon us.
As a matter of fact, the post modern forces of media and globalization have
disposed most of us to be even more cautious about taking on ideas in one big
gulp.
I do find the post method emphasis on principled pragmatism to be a useful

alternative to the methods era.
Overall, the, the post method perspective seeks to equip student teachers
with the knowledge, skill, attitude, and autonomy necessary to devise for
themselves a systematic, coherent, and relevant theory of practice
(Kumaravadivelu, 1994) It promotes the ability of teachers to know how to
develop a reflective approach to their own teaching, how to analyze and
evaluate their own teaching practice, how to initiate change in the
classroom and how to monitor the effect of such changes.
(Kumaravadivelu, 2011)
Ultimately, all learning is self-learning. I have started the review of teacher

development with individual strategies in the belief that we learn best when we
are meeting felt needs to know something or how to do something. It is also true

that most can use some external inspiration to explore, practice, apply and reflect
upon what we are doing in the classroom.
Strategic Reading.
Reading books about teaching and learning certainly constitutes professional
development, however, how much will be learned and the effectiveness in
developing teaching can vary considerably. Some suggestions would be:
1. Choose carefully. There are a lot of books on teaching and learning out
there. Take some time to look at reviews and gather opinions from
colleagues about what might be useful to you.
2. Read for you. The previous point about asking colleagues is fine, but
ultimately, choose what interests you most.
3. Consider the alternatives. There is really a very wide range of
possibilities that might help your teacher development from “how to” texts,
to academic research. It is important to sample first by borrowing, renting,
or, even going to the library (!)
4. Annotate. Take notes, highlight and underline. EBooks and readers
usually have a way to do this. If not, keep your notebook and pen handy.
Something you remember from reading is not much use if you can’t check
the accuracy, or cite the source. A good indicator of the value of a book is
whether or not you feel like making notes.
5. Read selectively. Just because you started the book doesn’t mean you
have to finish it. Nor, does it mean that you have to read every chapter.
Plan your reading and read those parts that interest you most, and are
relevant to your purpose.
6. Have a purpose. Why are you reading this book or article? What do you
hope to discover? If you can’t articulate your objectives, it is unlikely that
you will achieve anything.
7. Read the opposite. If you only read to support your existing ideas and
beliefs, it is doubtful you will develop professionally. Have the courage to
read the opposing viewpoints. You might be surprised what you will learn.
8. Be focused; be persistent. Stick with it. It is not important that you finish
every text, but it is important that you allow the author time to present their
argument.
While reading is perhaps the most traditional means of professional development,

it is often the least used. Check with your friends and colleagues by asking them
what they are reading “right now” that they consider “professional development?”
The question might be extended to, “What have you read recently?” or even,

“What have you read?” It is interesting to note how few teachers continue to read
beyond their degree requirements. My colleague suggests that they probably
don’t read because they don’t have a “reason to read,” which is interesting since
the same individuals may show considerable interest in workshops, or other
events meant to develop their teaching and learning skills.
A Selected Bibliography
At some risk to the argument for self-development, and making individual choices,
a few texts have been noted here. These are not the only possibilities, but they
will provide a useful starting point.
● Teaching Language: Grammar to Grammaring, Diane Larsen-Freeman.

● Beyond Method: Macrostrategies for Language Teaching, Kumaravadivelu.
● Techniques & Principles in Language Teaching, Diane Larsen-Freeman.
● Teaching by Principles, H Douglas Brown.
● Meaningful Action: Earl Stevicks Influence on Language Teaching, Arnold
and Murphy.
● Teacher Learning in Language Teaching, Donald Freeman & Jack
Richards.
● Professional Development for Language Teachers, Jack Richards.
Learning a Language
This is an excellent way to learn about teaching. While it may not tell you much
about how or what your students learn, it most assuredly will give you a much
better idea of what your own beliefs are about teaching and learning. It is often
quite revealing to see how teachers choose to learn a language. I was personally
shocked, shocked I say, to discover that my preferred approach to language
learning is through phrase books, and my preferred approach to developing a
second language is reading. Language learning as a development strategy also
needs to be supported within a framework to be effective.
● Have a plan. What? When? Where? And with whom? Learning “in country”
so to speak, is actually quite difficult unless one approaches the task with
purpose and organization.
● Make time. Learning a language is like exercise or writing a novel. You
have to set aside time and then stick to it. You have to make it a “habit.”
● Make your language goals explicit…And then refine them regularly. You
have to know “What you want to be able to DO in the language?”

● Keep a record. A language learning journal is critical if this is to be a
professional development strategy. The journal not only helps you
remember, but helps you make the learning meaningful for your teaching.
You might add a note to each entry to suggest, “How this learning
experience is relevant to my teaching.”
● Make a recording. An audio or video recording of you using the language
to accomplish some task, “doing something,” is both motivational and
useful feedback. Something to remember when you are teaching.
● Do it together. While the “learning” may be individual, the learning-
teaching construct works best when there is a group. Either join a class, or
form your own learning group. This is very important. Language is a social
phenomena and is best learned and explored in this context.
● Be realistic. Don’t set your sights too high. I recall a certain individual
when working in Japan eschewed the idea of learning the foreign word
based katakana and instead wanted to learn kanji neglecting the fact that
Japanese students spend at least 12 years of their lives trying to master a
limited number of symbols.
The best teacher certificate courses follow a model set by Peace Corps in the
1960’s by requiring an, “Unknown Language Experience,” as an initial and key
component of teacher training. There is really no better way, but it isn’t easy, and
it is crucial that the teacher exploit the experience through critical reflection. What
is truly enlightening is to note the difference between the way we promote
language learning, for example, communicative language approach, and the
way(s) we choose to learn languages ourselves. An excellent resource for self-
study language learning can be down loaded from
http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/pdf/library/M0064_ongoinglanguage.pdf
The first two strategies mentioned in this article are more or less traditional
approaches to professional development for language teachers. The table from
the Richards & Farrell book gives a more complete listing that goes beyond the
standard tools. While reflecting Richards & Farrell, what follows is an
interpretation of their approaches based on the experience and perspectives of
the author. I will cover some of these activities, either as topics in themselves, or
as parts of another activity – e.g. critical incidents and critical friendships are
excellent approaches to journal writing.

Doing Action Research
Action research tells us what is happening in our classrooms. It is a way to reflect
upon what learning is taking place, and a means to develop learning potentials.
In the context of an educational program, action research:
● Engages teachers in reflection upon learning in their classroom

● Suggests how the learning potential of the students might be developed
● Invests teachers with a level of responsibility for their student’s learning
● Contributes to the knowledge base of professional development
Teaching and learning in the best of circumstances are a collaborative,

community effort. Action research makes teachers more a part of the learning
community by increasing their input into the process. Through action research
they can contribute to the effectiveness of their own teaching, and their students
learning. As well, through collaborating with other teachers in workshops, they
can share their knowledge and contribute to the educational capital of the
institutional program.
Background
An important point in Donald Freeman’s book, Doing Teacher Research, is that
teachers should become teacher-researchers working at the hyphen – i.e. always
testing what they do in the classroom. As he says, we must stop relying on
linguistics and psychology to provide the “discipline” for our work. We must take
on that “discipline” to get away from the morass that we find ourselves in in
TESOL, that ‘morass’ being the mass of subjective opinion that pervades much
of the discussion of teaching and teaching practices. We have to get away from
the old dialogue, “Why should I do this?” – i.e. use this approach or method –
“Because I think it is good,” or, “It works for me.”
The old argument that teaching is too much of an art to lend itself to scientific
inquiry permanently assigns teachers to the dilemma mentioned by Donald
Freeman at a Thai TESOL event – “Between a rock and a hard place.” The “rock”
is the fact that we know that people learn languages ‘out there’ very effectively,
without teachers or texts, and, exactly to the degree that they need that language.
The “hard place” is the classroom where we struggle to bring what happens ‘out
there’ inside. It behooves all of us who care about teaching and learning to:
reflect upon what we do; test it using disciplined procedures; and, act intelligently
upon the results of our empirical study.

As Freeman points out in Teacher Learning in Language Teaching (Freeman &
Richards 1996) the database of the connection between teaching and learning is
practically non-existent. This is a shocking statement, but undoubtedly true since
most teaching-learning contexts are so complex that assigning cause to what the
teacher does is extremely difficult. Moreover,
Diane Larsen-Freeman in Teaching Language: Grammar to Grammaring says,
The degree, to which our students take advantage of the opportunities for
learning that we place before them, is beyond our control. We know that
teaching does not cause learning, but we must act as if it does (my italics).
(Larsen-Freeman 2003)
The way forward suggests that teachers include an element of research in their
classroom planning. This is not the academic research of the university, but
disciplined study of what is happening in our classrooms. Our classrooms are our
learning development laboratories. However, as Freeman also points out,
reflection is not enough, but needs to be followed by intelligent action. Thus, we
come full cycle to the meaning of action research. Logical action based on
disciplined reflection.
Good teachers believe in what they are doing. Belief should be based on
evidence. Action research engages teachers in a search for evidence to see if
what they are doing works. I can think of no better rationale for doing action
research, or strategy to develop teaching.
The Teacher Knowledge Base

It is considered essential in current teacher education that teachers operate with
knowledge of the socio-cultural context of their students, as well as knowledge of
language acquisition and method.
The core of the new knowledge base must focus on the activity of
teaching itself; it should center on the teacher who does it, the contexts in
which it is done, and the pedagogy by which it is done. Moreover, this
knowledge base should include forms of knowledge representation that
document teacher learning within the social, cultural and institutional
contexts in which it occurs. (Freeman & Johnson, 1998 as quoted in
Troudi 2005)

This would support the process of action research, not only with the objective of
raising the teacher’s awareness of the learning process, but enhancing the
teacher’s knowledge of their students’ social-cultural base. (Troudi 2005)
Planning Action Research

The following outlines the items to be defined in implementing action research.
The plan is a critical part of the teacher development process in and of itself, a
critical part of what is to be learned. It is best if the plans are shared and critiqued
by fellow teachers and supervisors as appropriate. There is much to be learned
here. Thinking through what you will do is essential. Keep in mind that the human
brain usually finds what it already believes, so examine your principles as you
plan. You don’t necessarily have to change your principles, but you might want to
add to them.
1. Definition of topic of study. The topic needs to be defined quite

specifically and narrowly. For example, “Determining Effective Methods of
Teaching in the Classroom,” would be far too big a topic for study. Even,
“A Study of Group Work Activities,” would be too broad. It should be
something like,
● Tasked Group Work With Assigned Products versus Tasked Groups
with Self-Defined Products
● Cue Card Effectiveness With or Without Words Written on Cards
● The Effectiveness of Lead In Activities to Engage Learners in unit
activities
● Evidence of learning based on post reading activities initiated by
students
2. Rationale. The rationale should explain why this study would be useful to
the teacher, the educational context, and to others in the field of TESOL. It
should mention other similar studies, if any, and elaborate why this study
will add something not already covered. This may be difficult but a Google
search is sufficient to show that an attempt was made and any hits
explored.
3. Hypothesis. Research should define in advance a hypothesis that it will

prove or disprove on the basis of the empirical evidence collected. Keep in
mind the suggestions mentioned above under the “definition of the study.”
The hypothesis has to be narrowly defined enough to be addressed in this
study. This hypothesis should include underlying questions to be
addressed, and should be elaborated in detail. It is not essential that the

research answer the question, and is most likely to pose further questions.
This is good research. Watch out for the “self-fulfilling prophecy.” Don’t try
to prove what you have hypothesized, but gather data, which should both,
support, and perhaps contradict what you have proposed. Be careful
about assigning meaning to entropic clutter – i.e. things which neither
support nor contradict.
4. Parameters of study. The parameters of study need to be clearly defined

– i.e. who are the students, what materials are they using, under what
circumstances, how many students are involved, what is the time frame,
etc. Profiling the learning context is fundamental to classroom research to
assure that the results are related to the hypothesis. A profile of the class,
the learners, and the teacher’s incoming beliefs might be included here.
Tough to specify, but it would be useful to define what the students
already know as it relates to the focus of the study
5. Disciplined research plan. There needs to be a plan to follow that will

outline how the study will be conducted, over what time frames, and, most
important, what norms or controls will be used to measure the result
against. Setting criteria for ensuring the legitimacy of the research is
obviously very significant.
6. Evaluation of results. The evaluation of results requires pre stated

criteria, norms, or control groups to assess what and how one group of
students learned as opposed to another. A journal and observations may
be part of this evaluation, but should be backed up by some kind of
empirical evidence other than opinion. This is the tough part. Be aware
that the results may often be interpreted in more than one way. Good
research cites the possibilities and then cites the evidence to show why a
particular conclusion was reached.
7. Summary of results. This would summarize the comparison between the

empirical results of the study, against the initial hypothesis to see if the
original idea had been supported, or not, by the results of the study. It is
important to emphasize here that a priori conclusions are suspect – i.e.
conclusions, which agree with the original hypothesis, but are not
supported by the study. It is OK if the results do not prove what was
originally intended. As a matter of fact, this is likely.

It is suggested that the teacher begin action research by studying what they
normally do in the classroom, rather than implementing some new technique or
approach. It is initially useful to collect and analyze evidence for learning with
routine classroom procedures, activities and behaviors. The action research plan
is incorporated into the teacher’s lesson planning, and after the time period
designated, the teacher will sum up their conclusions around three questions.
1. What has been learned?

a. Based upon observation
b. Based upon testing
c. Based upon comparison with the syllabus criteria
2. What evidence is available?
a. Observed outcomes
b. Testing
c. Comparison with syllabus criteria
a. Teacher beliefs and values
b. Specified approaches, techniques & activities
c. Class choreography
d. Multimedia utilization
Action Research Scenario

Joel was satisfied with his class, and his gut feeling was that they were learning.
He wanted more evidence and decided to initiate an action research study to
support his “sense” that the students were learning. He drew up a plan of action
that looked like this.
1. What appears to have been learned during a one-week span of five four-
hour classes on “Money & Sports?”
a. Vocabulary items from the unit
b. Appropriate structures
c. Spoken and written expression
d. Response to teacher and student’s questions
2. What evidence is available to show what the students have learned?
a. Notes on class and photos of papers and board
b. Quiz results - dictation, blank filling and comprehension questions
c. Audio recording of staged group discussions between pairs
approving the role of “Money in Sports,” and those against.
d. Comparison of results with the syllabus prescribed
3. What were the teaching learning activities employed?
a. Teacher input

b. TS elicitation
c. SS discussion
d. Group work on: blank filling, dictations and writing a paragraph with
key vocabulary words
e. Brainstorming in pairs to list words using pictures and reading
(*Note that the most important activities in the teacher’s view are listed here.)
Joel’s analysis of the data collected considered his journal notes supplemented
by phone photos of written work, plus a brief audio recording of the interactions
of the paired discussions, and a written paragraph received from the student
pairs. His conclusions were tentative based on incomplete evidence, but showed
the following.
1. There was evidence of learning based upon the data collected. Students
were able to use target language that had been introduced in this unit.
2. The connection between teaching and learning was less clear with some
evidence that students did better at mechanical tasks like filling in blanks,
than at creative tasks like writing a paragraph, or having a short informal
debate.
3. Corroboration of individual student learning was unclear since many of the
tasks had been collective.
4. Joel reformulated his research question to focus on the preparation,
practice and production of the paired debates since he wanted to get a
better idea of how the speaking practice affected the speaking
performance in a controlled exercise.
Analysis of the Action Research Scenario

The scenario shows a logical approach to action research, but also the difficulty
of obtaining definitive results. Joel doesn’t know whether the teacher’s actions
produced the student results. Still, it is what we have. In other words, it provides
data to support the teacher’s assessment that the students are learning.
Moreover, it helped Joel to further refine his research, in this case to narrow the
focus of the study to speaking input and skills using a specific activity. It is to be
expected that most research results in further questions to be explored. It is likely
that the teacher’s “sense’ of what and how much is being learned is correct. In
those cases where the teacher’s assessment is not correct, there is a good
chance that the research will assist the teacher in making appropriate
adjustments in their views. The value in action research is the process, not the
results. By examining closely what we do in the classroom, and how it affects our
students learning, we can develop our teacher learning.

Initiating collaborative action research
1. Form an action research group to collaborate and implement a pilot
program. This would include no more than 4-5 teachers.
2. Define the program parameters through discussion with the action
research group,
3. Write an assessment rubric.
4. Develop individual teacher action research plans.
5. Schedule peer monitoring & meetings.
6. Publicize the results.
Action research is one of the most effective approaches to teacher development

because it focuses on individual teachers, classes and learners. Acting upon
classroom research in a small group has the considerable advantage of bringing
peer pressure to bear upon individual motivation. As well, it is highly likely that
more will be learned through the group discussion of plans, action and results.
Point 6 above, “publicize the results,” may need some further elaboration. It is not
necessary to publish the action research results in a professional journal. It
means “to make public” the results to encourage critical comment from one’s
peers. In pre-IT days posting papers on a faculty bulletin board would actually do
quite well. In the IT world this is even easier as you can easily make your own
group forum on Facebook, or other social media, and invite your colleagues or a
larger audience to comment on your work.
Teacher Development Groups

The power of collaborative groups is significant. Most everything we have
discussed so far, strategic reading, learning a language and action research,
works better if done with collaborators. The sum is more than the parts. Referring
to Farrell and Richards Activities for Teacher Development chart above, most of
the strategies to be discussed here can be done alone, but are simply much
more effective when done with cooperating fellow teachers. One of the most
critical advantages is the motivational effect. We tend to keep up with things
when we feel responsible to others.
The self-development factor of the teacher development group is simply that you
get what you give. The interaction with peers offers significant rewards to the
teacher looking to improve their classroom performance. The feedback and
suggestions of our colleagues are invaluable. While it is the intention of this text
to provide ways and means for teacher self-development, there is no way that
this can happen in a vacuum. Learning and teaching language is essentially a

social activity and must take place in a social context. Learning teaching is
likewise critically connected to social interactions where the process is the focus
rather than the end product.
It often helps if there is a generative task involved, like curriculum or materials

development. If this is too ambitious, it can be something along the lines of
Kumaravadivelu’s macrostategies for: maximizing learning, facilitating negotiated
interactions, minimizing perceptual mismatches, or, other. Simply an ongoing
exchange focused on planning weekly lessons can be very fruitful, and perhaps
more motivating since it helps the teacher complete their on going lesson
preparation.
Teacher development groups can significantly enhance:

● Peer observation & coaching
● Curriculum & syllabus review
● Portfolio development & Journal writing
● Co Teaching & Team Teaching
● Workshops & Poster Sessions
Peer Observation & Coaching

Teachers learn through their interactions with other teachers (National
Research Council, 2000). According to Irvin (2002), sharing reflections
may cause the persons involved to reconstitute a more complex and
synthetic understanding (p. 9). (Five Important Features for Professional
Development of Language Teachers, Grace Chin-Wen Chien, National
Hsinchu University of Education, Taiwan)
It is always useful to get teachers together to talk about teaching and learning,
but it is more focused and fruitful if they have something immediate and personal
to talk about. Peer observation and coaching is hard to beat as a motivator for
productive interaction. The descriptions of the various types of communication
that might occur in the class in Figure 1 provide a nice starting point for peer
observations. In other words, the observing teacher might note during the lesson
the occurrence and types of communicative interactions that took place during
the class.

http://octopz.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/octopz-and-meaning/
TASK: What percentage of the time during the class did the following take place?
1. Communication – one way communication between teacher and student
2. Conversation – two way communication where both sides are understood
3. Collaboration – Thinking, planning and making decisions together
4. Co-creation – Joint activity making or doing something
This activity needs some structure to work effectively.
a. The teachers need to discuss how the information will be noted, and what
each of the four categories means so that they are on the same page.
b. The parameters of the observation need to be established – how long,
when, and the disposition of the observer with the class.
c. The analysis of the data collected.
d. How the results might be shared with others.
We are assuming that the observations will be mutual, and that the agreed upon
intention is to be supportive. Coaching should be couched in specific terms.
● Be positive. Even critical comments can be expressed in positive terms –

e.g. You might want to wait a bit longer for students to respond before you
add your own ideas.
● Be specific. Rather than saying, That was a “good” dialogue between you
and the class, say why and how it was good. The interaction with the class

went on for almost 10” and involved almost half of the class. I noticed
students were expressing their own opinions rather than just agreeing or
disagreeing with your comments.
● Be focused. Try to limit the comments to what you have agreed is the
focus of the observation, and leave unconnected points for another time. If
you are not sure if something is connected, ask your colleague.
● Make constructive suggestions. Point out ways in which the teacher might
have engaged the students, or encouraged interaction or learning, but be
careful not to preach. When in doubt, better to ask the teacher what they
might have done differently to accomplish their aims.
To be honest, the best peer observations I ever experienced were in my first

professional teaching assignment in Brasil where they had a rodizio (rotating)
peer teaching arrangement. One teacher was permanently assigned as a cover
teacher, and thus one teacher was randomly observing every class period. At the
end of the week, the teachers’ meeting consisted entirely of the “positive” things
that the observers had seen in their observation. It was a marvelously effective
activity, and the discussions were some of the most beneficial I have ever
experienced.
Bringing these observations together in a group discussion can compound the

effectiveness of the teacher development since it engages both the observer and
the ‘observee’ in the dynamic of learning. The focus of discussion is specific and
personal while the skilled facilitator can bring in the theoretical frameworks.
The individual teachers can arrange their own peer observations with permission
from the institution, and some planning. The planning can be nothing more than
the instruction referred to above, “Describe the effective/ineffective things that
you observe in my class,” or it can be more focused on lesson warm ups, types
of student interactions (see above), setting context and previewing or other.
A useful focus for peer observations might utilize three questions from Donald
Freeman:
1. What did the students learn?

2. How do you know?
The post observation discussions are critical, and remember that the observation
is only worthwhile if you do something about what you have learned. Thus, I
would suggest:
1. Plan the focus of your observation with your colleague. What will your
observer look at?

2. Determine the parameters and criteria by example on a scale of 1 – 3.
What will the criteria for “effective” or “ineffective” be?
3. Define the manner in which the notes will be reported. A discussion is fine,
but it would be nice to have your colleague’s notes at least, and you might
want to agree on a format for the notes.
The following excerpt from Education World ® Teachers Observing Teachers: A

Professional Development Tool for Every School, is an excellent summary of
some of the ways that peer observation and coaching can be done, and even
more important, "The most positive benefit of teacher-to-teacher observation,"
said Hirsh, "is that it makes teaching a public rather than a private act."
(Stephanie Hirsh, deputy executive director of the National Staff Development
Council (NSDC).
"Teachers Observing Teachers" Models
A variety of approaches to teacher observation support professional

growth and student achievement. The following are several of those
methods:
Lesson Study -- In this three-pronged approach designed by Japanese

educators, teachers collaboratively develop a lesson, observe it being
taught to students, and then discuss and refine it.
Peer Coaching -- In this non-evaluative professional development

strategy, educators work together to discuss and share teaching practices,
observe each other's classrooms, provide mutual support, and, in the end,
enhance teaching to enrich student learning.
Cognitive Coaching -- Teachers are taught specific skills that involve

asking questions so that the teacher observed is given the opportunity to
process learning associated with teaching the lesson.
Critical Friends Group (CFG) -- This program provides time and

structure in a teacher's schedule for professional growth linked to student
learning. Each CFG is composed of eight to 12 teachers and
administrators, under the guidance of at least one coach, who meet
regularly to develop collaborative skills, reflect on their teaching practices,
and look at student work. [See an Education World article, Critical Friends
Groups: Catalysts for School Change.]
Learning Walk -- The Learning Walk, created by the Institute for Learning
at the University of Pittsburgh, is a process that invites participants to visit
several classrooms to look at student work and classroom artifacts and to
talk with students and teachers. Participants then review what they have
learned in the classroom by making factual statements and posing

questions about the observations. The end result is that teachers become
more reflective about their teaching practices. Professional development is
always linked to The Learning Walks.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin297.shtml
The idea of making teaching a public act is somewhat revolutionary. The director
of my graduate TESOL program once suggested that the ideal classroom would
be a storefront where students could come in when they felt like it, and only
choose to participate when they felt ready. I wonder if teachers shouldn’t keep an
open door policy and always encourage other teachers to come in and visit, as
well as provide comments and suggestions. Language teaching is primarily an
exercise in social dynamics, so why shouldn’t that dynamic extend to an “open
door” policy for teachers? The idea that as teachers we have a special
relationship with our students should be able to survive the experience of sharing
our classrooms with others.
This “sharing” of our classrooms requires trust and confidence on the part of the
teachers. There is no doubt that it is risky business to make our teaching acts
public, but what better way to develop as professionals? Most professionals do
not have the luxury of operating behind closed doors, so why should teachers
who involved in the most public of all professions, teaching, shut themselves and
their students off from others.
Curriculum & Syllabus Review

Anecdote 1
Back in my early days at the School for International Training I had the
opportunity to participate in a curriculum development workshop with the
Putney Antioch Graduate School of Education. I was greatly impressed
with the “Vietnam Curriculum” that I believe was developed by the Newton
School District to use the then current Vietnam issue to focus on high
school civics. After a delightful presentation by the teachers from Newton
someone asked, “How is it going?” The response was, “We don’t use it
anymore.” You could have heard a pin drop in the room. The teachers
went on to say that they had found the most valuable part of developing
the curriculum was the professional development of the teachers involved.
Thus, they were now working on another curriculum. (Hopkins)
This was most assuredly a group project, probably sponsored by the school, but
don’t forget that group projects are made up of individuals, all of whom benefit
individually from the interactions in achieving a joint product. Since we are most
concerned here with the teacher development by the individual, keep in mind that
the benefits of collaborating with peers are some of the most effective strategies
for professional development. Very few can make significant improvements on

their own, and often what we think we have learned merely repeats the work of
others before us. Working in a group helps to balance our rather narrow view of
the world.
The teachers from Newton went on to describe how the weekly meetings to
develop the Vietnam curriculum, invariably led to discussions of what the
teachers were doing in their classrooms. This in turn, led them to speculate, and
plan through the curriculum, what they might do differently. It is always easier to
depart from the beaten path when in the good company of others.
Anecdote 2
I have also seen group syllabus review work very poorly. In another
workshop a 2-hour session was scheduled for teachers to discuss the
textbooks they were teaching. The assignment was:
● Day one – Discuss & write questions you have about the text
● Day two – Discuss & write answers to the questions
The results were mixed. Some groups had a hard time staying on task and
writing only questions on Day 1. They wanted to get into the answers to
the questions. Others broadened the questions to deal with larger issues
in their classes, and inevitably, questions of school policy and classroom
management. What was wrong?
Anecdote 2 points out a number of important considerations.
1. Is the topic of the discussion clearly delineated? Is this a topic, which can
be resolved by this group? For example, in the failed curriculum
discussions mentioned here, there was no “outcome” to the discussions,
which would change anything for the teachers. They did not care enough
about sharing what they were doing with the text, and they had no effect
upon the broader issues of curriculum choice or student behaviors.
2. Are the logistical parameters logical? – i.e. are the number of participants,
time and sequence of events sufficient to meet the objectives of the
discussion? In the example above, the overriding factor was the that the
teachers were being required to attend the curriculum sessions during a
vacation break week. There was little in the content or outcome of the
discussions, which would over-ride this fact.
3. Most critical, is the topic of the discussion something I really care about?
Is there enough “felt need” in the group to accomplish the task set? In our
example here, it might have worked better to task the group with collecting
“best practices” for teaching the textbooks involved. Teachers usually

have some investment in their own teaching, and like to share these with
others.
The bottom line in a teacher discussion group focused on curriculum or syllabus

is, “What does it have to do with me?” Unless the discussion is going to be
focused on something that the teacher is sincerely interested in, it is not likely to
be of any use in teacher development. Teachers like to talk to each other about
what they are doing, but they usually need a “vehicle” to carry the discussion to
some fruitful purpose. It is also true that teachers like to talk. This may be
sufficient reason in and of itself to team up with a group, and enter into the fray,
but be careful of the fray. Differing viewpoints cut both ways. They can be
amazingly effective in opening us up to new ways of thinking, but they can also
be discouraging to the individual looking for a supportive atmosphere. It is
equally possible for an individual teacher to ‘lock down’ their ideas in an
unsupportive group.
Portfolio Development
Developing a portfolio can be very effective in reflecting upon teaching and
examining what you do in the classroom. Think beyond the usual collection of
photos and sample assignments from your students, and focus on evidence of
your achievements and critical events in your classroom. This is more than
remembrances of interesting events, and should be a compilation of what you
have learned from your teaching.
The teaching portfolio as a strategy for professional development is based on

the premise that the best assessment is self-assessment. Teachers are more
likely to act upon what they find out about themselves. (Green and Smyser,
1996, x)
Why develop a Portfolio?
1. Explore how we teach

2. Make critical assessment of teaching
3. Look for things we may be missing
4. Explore teaching-learning strategies
5. Record achievements and disasters
6. Revise teaching goals
7. Chart changes in approach and technique

The professional Portfolio is more than a scrapbook. It is more like the
documents collected by architects, engineers and web designers to display their
skills and products, but it also includes the and mistakes, errors and misdirection
of our teaching.
• A mission statement – Why are you a teacher? What are you looking for in
an employment situation? What do you hope to achieve? Considering the
questions alone is not a bad place to start.
o I hope to work in a convivial, collaborative environment where the
focus on learning is paramount to the focus on teaching.
o I want to work with children in a situation where learning is the
focus, and there are congenial colleagues to share with.
I can imagine a pretty lively discussion generated by this statement and
inputs by other members of a teacher group. The discussion is what
makes this critical development since the teachers must consider how
others perceive their mission statements.
• A statement of principles – What are the principles and beliefs that
underlie the decisions you make in the classroom? This would start out as
an individual task, but can be fully realized as a discussion with colleagues.
You can’t hope to develop and change unless you know the bedrock that
you are working from. While changing principles is arguable, there is no
doubt that we can modify and adapt our principle, but only if we are
conscious of what they are.
• Resume’ – There is lots of room for discussion here, and most of us have
lots to learn about the way we present information, especially information
about ourselves. Presenting your resume to others in writing or orally
would be an effective review of your teaching career.
• Samples of work – Including pictures, videos, examples of materials, and
course descriptions are all possibilities. Sharing these samples with others
will usually raise questions about what the individual teacher needs to do
to become more “marketable.”
• Samples of student’s work – Papers, photos, videos and audio recordings
of significant moments of success and failure. The recording of evidence
for things that went well, or didn’t go so well.
• Journal writing – I am thinking here about the inclusion of examples to
make a statement about one’s professional experience, rather than a
complete journal. Most employers ask prospective teachers to give
examples of classroom experiences that show their skills and knowledge.
A portfolio might contain short anecdotes to underline a teacher’s
classroom practices and behaviors.

• Examples of evaluative feedback – While these may be testimonials,
professional feedback by supervisors, peers or students would enhance
the teacher profile. It would be especially impressive to include examples
of student comments.
One of the main things to focus on in preparing your portfolio is looking at what
you have done in terms of tangible achievements. This is a learning experience
since it forces us to reflect upon the results of our teaching, not just the time
spent. This topic precedes Reflective Journals since it helps to focus on the
outcomes of our endeavors, starting with reflections upon what we have done,
and continuing into what we are doing now. Self-awareness is a marvelous key
to learning. Knowing what you have done suggests ways and means for learning
more. A teacher has to know and be honestly critical of how he or she is
perceived by others, and be capable of using these perceptions as part of a
repertoire for teacher development. The capable teacher knows the image they
are projecting, and can use this to positive effect in their teaching. Teacher
development is self-learning in the most elemental sense.
Reflective Journals
There are only a few weeks left in the term, and this journal has been a
huge part of transforming how I facilitate these classes into something that
promotes learning in a way that makes sense. There is so much empirical
information that is already available, and all of it desperately needs to be
applied, but without holding our own feet to the fire, we could quite easily
ignore the things that really tend to work. I could see how teaching could
become a job more similar to working in a factory for many teachers. The
droning of every day operations can be a daunting experience without
proper reflections and application of effective materials, or it could even
turn into blissful ignorance of the learning environment. Alternatively, we
teachers may enjoy our work when it becomes apparent that the methods
we use are actually working. Simply reflecting on my classes has made it
easy to recognize the differences between good and bad approaches that
I have used. If I continue reflecting analytically about my plans and
thinking critically for each set of circumstances, then it becomes clear as
to how I can make them both effective and enjoyable. Michael Edwards
(BA TESOL) on Reflective Journals
The comments above are a good testimony to the effectiveness of the journals
when they work well, and the teachers are diligent. Michael and his colleagues
were enrolled in a course that required them to turn in a reflective journal on one

of their classes every week over twelve weeks of their teaching practicum. The
journals were focused on three questions.
1. What did the students learn?

2. What evidence of learning was there?
3. What did the teacher do to influence the learning?
The journals were to be written in paragraph narrative form, and be at least 500
words long. It was further encouraged that teachers compile their experiences
from more than on class, and focus on,
• Student outcomes
• What they might do differently next time
In this case, an outside mentor reviewed the journals, and positive comments
were returned to the teacher via MS Word “comments.” This might have been
done by peer reviews, but since university credit was required, an instructor was
used for the reviews.
To make a teaching log work, it helps to set some basic parameters for when and
how long you will write. The guidelines mentioned above are a good starting
point. Meeting might generate focus questions with colleagues and setting
guidelines for peer reviews. If the teacher is to be the sole reviewer, then the pre-
set criteria are critical to success. While narrative accounts make the teacher
digest and recompose the experience, note formatting is also a possibility.
Sample Journal 1 - Notes
Evidence of learning
• SS respond to TS elicitation on topic
• Pairs guess vocabulary means brought to the board
• SS match meanings and vocabulary
• blank filling in pairs goes well with almost 100% correct
• Sentences using words mostly correct
• Groups building “patchwork paragraphs ”Other groups figure out
“patchwork paragraphs”
Problems
• SS have trouble using key words in context in spontaneous
responses
• Group paragraph building not successful

• Pairs presentations show lots of usage errors
• Picture paragraph building doesn’t produce much
• Context modeling incomplete or too “word dependent”
• SS went through planned activity too fast; need more reading
technemes
• Mentoring left some students with nothing to do
Sample Journal 2 - Narrative
What was learned today? The students should now be familiar with the
difference between this & that, and should be able to use the language to
describe everyday objects or items of clothing. As well as using the
images and examples in the textbook displayed on the TV, there were
plenty of examples and gestures from me to identify objects near or far
away. I do enjoy teaching this & that, it’s so easy, but I must admit some
of the students still get them confused even after endless examples and
giving the Thai words.
The students should now also be familiar with the vocabulary for the most
common items of clothing; jacket, shirt, pants, socks and shoes. I have
taught items of clothing to this class in the past, and it does shock me
when students don’t remember words like socks and shoes. Also having
started to teach at a new school, this has given me the opportunity to
compare the two groups of students and at this school as a whole the
student’s attitude towards learning is very poor.
Colors didn’t really take much modeling, most of the students were familiar
with colors (they should be, they’ve been taught them for long enough),
and so they only struggled with the usual suspects like gray or purple.
After having put all the above together the students were able to describe
someone by the color of, and item of clothing being worn.
I didn’t have enough time to cover the skills focus, and the second hour of
study last week was cancelled, they will be a reading task in the unit
review lesson next week anyway.
What evidence was there of learning? The students were able to

complete various exercises provided in the text book. True or false, fill the
blanks & complete the sentence exercises. They also produced some
questions with answers (e.g. What’s this? It’s a book). There was also an
easy flag number coloring exercise. I’d like to have the students speaking
and using the language more, but the brutal truth is the majority of
students just aren’t interested no matter how relevant to life you make it.

A lot of the exercises in this unit were real easy, and the majority of the
class was able to work through it with no real problems. I’m also glad we
didn’t make it to the reading task, as I think it is not one of the best choices
for teaching Thai students anyway (The Black Eyed Peas, and their
ridiculous band member names).
What did the teacher do to facilitate the learning? Provided and

modeled clearly all the relevant materials. Went through or basically
translated the dialogue at the beginning with the students to make sure
everyone understood the target language and what was going on, which in
turn should have prepared them for the true or false exercise to follow.
For most of the other exercises I wasn’t too much involved, I just
explained or provided the initial example and then just let the students
figure it out on their own. For a competent student this unit should have
been like a stroll in the park.
Peer Reviews & Coaching

This means collaborating with partners or a group to review each other’s
reflective journals. This has the distinct advantage of bringing new perspective
into your teaching. It is important that you agree on a focus for the journals and
the review. For example:
• Giving student enough student talk time.
• Student questions as opposed to teacher questions.
• Evidence of student learning.
• Making the students comfortable.
• Maximizing learning opportunities.
• Comparing teacher perceptions with learner perceptions.
• Media influence in the learning process.
• How did the teacher facilitate learning?
• Group dynamics factors to help and hinder learning.
• Making input comprehensible.
Working with a partner or group to exchange reflections on teaching and

generate ideas for teaching-learning is an excellent way to develop teaching.
There is a certain camaraderie to admitting our mistakes and helping other that
leads to effective solutions and creative ideas. It does require some strength to
share what might have gone wrong, but the benefits from peer scaffolding help to
ameliorate the confidence threat.

Co Teaching
Co teaching is a marvelous way to improve teaching skills. You have to
understand and adapt your behavior and action in real time when you are
working with another teacher. This requires a lot of intense planning, both
individual, and shared with your co teacher. The fact that you will both be “on
stage” requires a degree of syncopation that can only come if both teachers
understand clearly what they are doing individually and jointly. I can’t think of a
better way to expand one’s teaching horizons.
There is a fundamental question of whether the co teaching will be synchronous

or asynchronous. Will both teachers be in the room teaching at the same time,
alternatively, or in sequence? The logistics of co teaching are critical to avoid
confusion inflicted on the students. Obviously the choices will be limited by space
and time possibilities.
The strategies described below owe inspiration and categorization to an article

by Andrea Honigsfeld and Maria Dove, Co Teaching in the ESL Classroom. I
hope the authors will grant be a little leeway as I have adapted their ideas for a
broader context.
1. Macro-Micro Approach. The first teacher covers the larger class wide
activities, like setting context, previewing or class elicitation, and then
passes to the second teacher to work with small group activities to explore
the language concepts introduced by teacher one. There are a variety of
ways this might be organized, and that would be a fascinating approach to
the planning phase. This is probably best accomplished logistically by
having both teachers in the same room, but I can imagine the teachers
switching rooms at key points.
2. Both teachers teach the same content. The different approaches to the
teaching should not be left to chance, but carefully planned to cover the
lesson matter in different ways. For example, one teacher might focus on
the grammar and lexis in the lesson, and the other on meaning and ideas;
or, one might engage students in listen and speaking, while the other used
reading and writing. Lots of possibilities and here. This can be done
logistically with the two teachers switching rooms on alternative days.
3. One teacher re-teaches; the other teaches alternative content for the
same lesson objectives. This is a bit more complex, but not too hard to
imagine. Teacher one goes back over lesson material that has already
been taught, perhaps focusing in on points that need reinforcement, or
expansion. The second teacher uses the same objectives, but changes the

content. For example, if the lesson one day one as Going Shopping at the
Mall the second lesson might be Going Shopping in the Street Market. This
can be readily accomplished by switching classes on alternate days, the
only hitch being the timing allowed by the course syllabus.
4. Two teachers monitor teach multiple groups. Pretty easy to imagine this
one, but it takes careful planning. Obviously, the group “tasking” would
have to be very well understand, the teachers would have to agree on
criteria for successful group products. The logistics are also easy since this
could take place in one large room, or with the teachers switching rooms.
5. Two teachers teach the same content at the same time. This has to be
well choreographed, but can be very engaging as one teacher might
present the main points of the lesson, while the other provided examples
and directed exercises. There are so many ways to divide this up that it
almost becomes a relay activity with one teacher jumping in to cover some
items, and then passing the class to other. Very exciting and also very
demanding in terms of planning and understanding.
(http://www.nystesol.org/region/ArticleStudy_Co-teaching.pdf)
The main point here for learning teaching is that co teaching demands a lot in
terms of understanding and adaptation in real-time to the understanding of others.
This process requires significant adaptation, growth and, well, learning. The
learning is tested almost immediately in the classroom because if the teachers
don’t get it right, it is pretty obvious to all. Moreover, most teachers will admit that
one of their most closely held objectives is not to make a fool of themselves, and
the necessity of teacher collaboration assures that this onboard motivation will be
in place.
Presentations at Workshops and Conferences

The requirement of workshop and conference presentation as teacher
development is traditional. It is an excellent way to explore possibilities and
reflect on practices in the classroom. Through the force of pure embarrassment,
we are motivated to think carefully about what we do and what might be of
interest to our colleagues. Unfortunately, presentations are often unscreened and
unmonitored except at the most demanding venues. The best conferences have
the best presentations and will offer the teacher the best structure for a
professional development experience.
Here are some tips from the 2014 TESOL International presenter guidelines.
What do attendees expect? All attendees value openness and diversity of

thinking as they tackle real issues in the classroom. They want substance and
knowledge they can immediately put in to practice. All are looking for new ways

to solve their current challenges and for ways to push their students, programs,
and institutions toward better outcomes.
What your attendees will remember

• What they actually did in your session, not what they saw or heard. (This
is absolutely crucial. Having your audience speak with each other, make
notes, answer questions or draw something is an essential part of good
presentation.)
• Small group discussion of key points
• Interaction with peers
• Exercises that demonstrated your point
• Stories and examples that paint a mental picture
• Particularly powerful metaphors that can serve as reminders
What your attendees won’t remember

• Your incredible statistics, even though such facts will build your credibility
• Most of your jokes, although giving them a few laughs will make them
more receptive to your information and thinking
• How eloquent you were, although your clarity of thought will help them
comprehend what you are trying to say
This is all good advice when preparing a presentation. Don’t forget to get around
and attend other sessions. Planning a conference visit is like planning a trip. You
need to know what you are looking for, what the possibilities are and schedule.
Don’t forget to schedule some “walkabout” and networking time. Walkabout time
is usually spent in the publisher’s section, but I encourage teacher to also check
out the hotel lobbies where participants and presenters are meeting informally. It
helps, of course, if you know some people, but there is nothing wrong with
walking up to a presenter and politely saying hello and asking a question. That’s
what they are there for. If you manage to get “in” with some people, a little bit of
evening activity is a great way to build your professional network. The plenary
speaker might not remember the question you asked in the lobby, but would
more likely remember a moment shared in the evening over a meal or drinks.

Miniversity – A teaching-learning language fair
Miniversity is a collaboration of teachers and students displaying creative
teaching-learning activities in a public forum. It is a free exchange forum where
teachers have a booth or area where they can engage students in their favorite
learning activities. There is no time or number structure to the activities. In other
words, teachers are on their own to engage students in their activity, and keep
them there. Walkabout “fortune tellers” and “clowns” help to facilitate the flow of
participants and are also moving activities in themselves. Teachers are
encouraged to invite students to participate, but there are no rules about how
long students have to stay at any activity booth. Each activity booth is self-
contained and the teacher must be ready to deal with whatever comes up in
terms of numbers or student involvement.

This activity originates with US Peace Crops training, and can be used with any
school subject area, or multiple subjects in the same event. It requires a great
deal of spontaneity and enthusiasm on the part of the teacher, but functions quite
smoothly with the help of the “fortune tellers” and “clowns.” Some activities tend
to get more attention, but when they become overcrowded, people move on to
the less populated booths. Teachers must be prepared with enough variety so
that they can keep their activity going as people come and go. Obviously, active
techniques work well, and essay writing is probably not a good choice, although
collaborative chain writing activities work well. Most schemes that get people
working together are likely to be successful.
The whole point of the miniversity is to develop a “market” atmosphere where

learning activities are flexible and stand on their own merits to attract the learner.
I have done miniversities, language fairs, in Peace Corps training in a village in
Africa, at a language school in Brasil, at a city hall in Japan and a large language
school in Thailand. Activities have included:
• Karaoke English
• Word squares – assembling sentences
• Picture stories
• Family story telling with Cuisenaire rods
• Death in the Afternoon mini drama
• Proverbial role plays
• Fortune telling
• What’s my line?
• Jeopardy
• Sentence bingo
• People scrabble
• Student’s court
• Pictionary
• Talking about the neighborhood
• Mini drama mimes
• Chain writing stories
These are only some of the many possibilities. A large space, or multiple rooms
are fine, although it is nice if people can see each other and be drawn naturally
from place to place as in a carnival. Time needed is 1-3 hours depending upon
the number of participants and participating teachers. The planning and review of
these events can be particularly valuable in terms of teacher learning. There are
few events, which can engender more enthusiasm and creativity among both
teachers and learners.
Writing About Teaching and Learning

Write to develop you understanding of teaching and learning." There is absolutely
nothing that works better to stimulate your thinking about learning and teaching
than writing about it. The mind performs awesome tricks twisting and turning

thoughts until sometimes they even seem to make sense. In the process we
learn. Something about this process of writing focuses our thoughts and we
actualize our ideas as we write them down. So how do we do this?
1. Keep a teaching-learning journal focused on your classes. This has already been
outlined above but it is worth repeating. One format that works well is simply:
a. What did your students learn today?
b. How do you know? What evidence?
c. How did you influence their learning?
2. Post articles on Facebook and write introductory comments. This has the added
benefit of encouraging you to look for and read articles that are relevant to your
teaching. What’s fun is you often get “comments” that encourage more thinking
and more writing. It helps if you subscribe to TESOL newsletters, but a scan of
most online news sites will often give you lots to talk about.
3. Find your own outlet to publicize. I use the ESL MiniConference Online since it is
published by a good friend and has a wide readership. It has the added benefit
that Robb Scott edits my articles, which is both needed and appreciated.
Conclusion
This has been an exploration of ways and means for developing teaching. All that
is missing is your motivation and commitment. Look to your students for this.
Some of the best writing on teaching-learning has been done as profiles of
learners. (Stevick, 1989) and Griffiths, Lessons from Good Language Learners,
2008. A good start to your developing teaching might be asking your students to
write journals on the questions, Learning language: What works for you; What
doesn’t? Our understanding of how our teaching influences student learning is
what it’s all about. Start with the learners.

Bibliography - Developing Teaching
Bailey, Curtis & Nunan, Pursuing Professional Development: The Self as Source,
2001
Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, editors, How People Learn: Brain, Mind,
Experience, and School, Committee on Developments in the Science
Learning with additional material from the Committee on Learning
Research and Educational Practice, Donovan, John D.Bransford, and
James W.Pellegrino, editors, Commission on Behavioral and Social
Sciences and Education, National Research Council, NATIONAL
ACADEMY PRESS, 2014.
Brown, H Douglas, Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to
Language Pedagogy, 3rd edition, 2007
Crotty, Michael J, Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective
in the Research Process. SAGE Publications. (1998). Describing Freire
(1976)..
Dove and Honigsfeld, Collaboration and Co-Teaching: Strategies for English
Learners, 2010.
Education World, Teachers Observing Teachers,
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin297.shtml
Fanselow, John, Breaking Rules: Generating and Exploring Alternatives in
Language Teaching, 1987.
Fanselow, John, Try the Opposite, 2010.
Freeman, D. Doing Teacher Research: From Inquiry to Understanding, 1998.
Freeman & Johnson, Reconceptualizing the Knowledge-Base of Language
Teacher Education, TESOL Quarterly, 2012.
Freeman & Richards, Teacher Learning in Language Teaching, 1996.
Gattegno Teaching Foreign Languages in Schools: The Silent Way,
Griffiths, C. Lessons from Good Language Learners, 2008
Johnson, K. Understanding Language Teaching, 1999.
Kumaravadivelu, Beyond Method: Macro Strategies for Language Teaching, ,
2002
Kumaravadivelu Language Teacher Education for a Global Society: A
Modular Model for Knowing, Analyzing, Recognizing, Doing, and
Seeing, 2011
Larsen-Freeman, “On the appropriateness of language teaching methods in
language and development,”, 1999
_____________, Teaching Languages: Grammar to Grammaring, 2003.
Lortie, D. Schoolteacher: A Sociological Study, 2002.
Richards & Farrell. Professional Development for Language Teachers: Strategies
for Teacher Learning, 2005.
Stevick, Earl W, Teaching languages: A way and ways.1980.
Stevick, Success With Foreign Languages: Seven Who Achieved It and What
Worked for Them, 1989.
Willis. Rules, Patterns and Words: Grammar and Lexis in English Language
Teaching (Cambridge Language Teaching Library). 2004.

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developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 2

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 3

Professional development programs take a more extensive approach to the

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 4

I suspect there will be experienced professional teachers that will argue

1. Critical reflection upon what they are doing

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 5

1. What do I do and why? This is harder than it sounds because if we really

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 6

To problematize a statement, for example, one asks simple questions:

Learning vs. teaching.

We should judge creativity in the classroom by what the teacher makes

1. What seems to have been learned in the lesson?

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 7

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 8

Professional teacher development must have as its mission to enhance the

Needs Assessment & Profiling

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 9

Kumaravadivelu (2002) refers to the potential of perceptual mismatches as a

To a large extent what goes “in” is determined by how learners perceive

Kumaravadivelu goes on to say that there have been, “… very few

Kumaravadivelu identifies ten possible areas of mismatches between learner and

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 10

The wide range of perceptual mismatches is important because they significantly

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 11

Needs assessment and teacher-student profiling is a complex issue and

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 12

Strategies for Self Development

Let’s look at some strategies for approaching professional development.

Activities for Teacher Development

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 13

1. Research the topic

B. Determine a strategy for knowledge and skill development. The

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 14

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 15

Diane Larsen-Freeman offers some clarifying thoughts to this argument.

First of all, it must be explicitly acknowledged that language teaching

● The myth of inclusive generalizations. Methods are not aimed at “whole”

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 16

I do find the post method emphasis on principled pragmatism to be a useful

Ultimately, all learning is self-learning. I have started the review of teacher

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 17

While reading is perhaps the most traditional means of professional development,

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 18

● Teaching Language: Grammar to Grammaring, Diane Larsen-Freeman.

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 19

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 20

● Engages teachers in reflection upon learning in their classroom

Teaching and learning in the best of circumstances are a collaborative,

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 21

Diane Larsen-Freeman in Teaching Language: Grammar to Grammaring says,

The Teacher Knowledge Base

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 22

Planning Action Research

1. Definition of topic of study. The topic needs to be defined quite

3. Hypothesis. Research should define in advance a hypothesis that it will

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 23

4. Parameters of study. The parameters of study need to be clearly defined

5. Disciplined research plan. There needs to be a plan to follow that will

6. Evaluation of results. The evaluation of results requires pre stated

7. Summary of results. This would summarize the comparison between the

developing teaching dave hopkins 2014 24

1. What has been learned?

Action Research Scenario