COURSE OUTLINE

Title:                    Professional Development    

Course code:       ENG712

No. of credits:      3 credits

1. COURSE OVERVIEW

Professional Development for language teachers is designed to provide students of Masters in TESOL with theories, principles and skills for ongoing learning during the teaching career to meet the ever-changing challenges of the TESOL field. It will cover the nature of professional development, and different procedures that can be used to facilitate professional development in language teaching in three main themes: (1) development through self (Self-monitoring, Journal writing and Teaching portfolios), (2) development through others (Peer observation, Workshops, Teacher support groups, Peer coaching and Team teaching) and (3) development through research (Analysing critical incidents, Case analysis and Action research).

2. COURSE OBJECTIVES

• The course presents a variety of approaches to professional development for language teachers.
• Students will be encouraged to apply the knowledge of professional development approaches to achieve long-term success in their teaching career.
• The course ultimately enhances students to review regularly and evaluate their own teaching skills, confidently to take initiative to update their professional knowledge and skills in the field of language teaching on a regular basis and to be willing to take on new roles and responsibilities.

3. TOPIC DESCRIPTIONS

• Self-monitoring
• Keeping a teaching journal
• Teaching portfolios
• Peer Observation
• Lenses for observation
• Workshops
• Teacher support groups
• Peer coaching
• Team teaching
• Analysing critical incidents
• Case analysis
• Action research
• Wrap-up

4. MATERIALS

Required textbooks

• Richards, J. & Farrell, T. (2005). Professional development for language teachers: Strategies for teacher learning. New York: Cambridge University Press. https://assets.cambridge.org/97805218/49111/sample/9780521849111ws.pdf
• Borich, G. (2015). Observation skills for effective teaching: Research-based practice (Seventh ed.) New York: Routledge.
• Crookes, G. (2003). A practicum in TESOL: Professional development through teaching practice. New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Galaczi, E., Nye. A., Puolter, M. & Allen, H. (2018). Teacher professional development. Cambridge: Cambridge Assessment English.
  https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/Images/539683-perspectives-teacher-professional-development.pdf

5. ASSESSMENT

5.1     Midterm (40%)

• Attendance and participation (10%)
• Workshops (groups of 4-5 students) (30%)

5.2     Final (60%)

• Teaching portfolios

6. STUDENT WORKLOAD

• Directed study:               45 periods
• Independent Study:        135 periods