professional awareness and the development of foreign language teachers professional awareness and...
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Professional Awareness and Professional Awareness and the Development of Foreign the Development of Foreign
Language TeachersLanguage Teachers
ZHOU YanZHOU Yan National Research Center for National Research Center for
Foreign Language Education, BFSUForeign Language Education, BFSU
OutlineOutline I. Language education as a profession I. Language education as a profession
II. Complexity in language education II. Complexity in language education
III. Challenges in professional developmentIII. Challenges in professional development
IV. Resources for professional developmentIV. Resources for professional development
Is There a Difference between Is There a Difference between ……
Teaching as a job and teaching as a Teaching as a job and teaching as a profession? profession?
English teaching and English English teaching and English education?education?
Definition of EducationDefinition of Education The The processprocess of training and of training and
developing the knowledge, skill, developing the knowledge, skill, mind,character, etc. especially by mind,character, etc. especially by formal schoolingformal schooling..
-- -- WebsterWebster’’s New World Dictionary s New World Dictionary
of the American Languageof the American Language
The Purpose of EducationThe Purpose of Education
Education means change:Education means change:
moral moral
intellectual intellectual
psychological psychological
physical physical
English EducationEnglish Education Promoting changes in those fieldsPromoting changes in those fields
through English learningthrough English learning Producing people with English language Producing people with English language
competence in various fields competence in various fields
University Education Is University Education Is a Privilege in Chinaa Privilege in China
Experts in a special fieldExperts in a special field Critical and independent thinkersCritical and independent thinkers Leaders in all walks of lifeLeaders in all walks of life
The Challenges The Challenges We Teachers Face TodayWe Teachers Face Today
High expectation from students, parents and High expectation from students, parents and administratorsadministrators
Teach and publishTeach and publish Pressure to raise the passing rate of CET Pressure to raise the passing rate of CET Little difference between working life and Little difference between working life and
family life family life
The Attitude DeterminesThe Attitude Determines Teaching as a job:Teaching as a job:
Something you have to do to earn a Something you have to do to earn a living;living; Teaching as a profession:Teaching as a profession:
Something you enjoy doing to make Something you enjoy doing to make your life more meaningful. your life more meaningful.
Job Job
Teaching is daily routine work; Teaching is daily routine work;
Profession Profession
Teaching is your life career.Teaching is your life career.
JobJob
You donYou don’’t want to think about it t want to think about it when you are out of the classroom;when you are out of the classroom;
ProfessionProfession
You forget the difference between in You forget the difference between in and out of the classroom;and out of the classroom;
JobJob
DonDon’’t want to make any changes in teaching t want to make any changes in teaching
because it means more efforts;because it means more efforts;
ProfessionProfession
Open to changes because they may lead to Open to changes because they may lead to
improvement in teaching;improvement in teaching;
Attitudes Leads to Commitment Attitudes Leads to Commitment
Teaching focuses on textsTeaching focuses on texts Education focuses on studentsEducation focuses on students
A Craftsman vs. A ProfessionalA Craftsman vs. A Professional
Increasing Our Increasing Our Professional AwarenessProfessional Awareness
By understanding our professionBy understanding our profession By making our teachersBy making our teachers
professionals and educatorsprofessionals and educators
What Is a Profession?What Is a Profession?
An occupation requiring advanced An occupation requiring advanced
education and training, and involving education and training, and involving
intellectual skills, as medicine, law,intellectual skills, as medicine, law,
theology, engineering, teaching, etc.theology, engineering, teaching, etc.
- Webster- Webster’’s NWDAL s NWDAL
A profession needs constant upgrading of A profession needs constant upgrading of the knowledge in the development of the the knowledge in the development of the field. field.
A profession requires continuous A profession requires continuous development on the part of the people development on the part of the people who engage in the field. who engage in the field.
A profession takes a lot of research A profession takes a lot of research efforts to increase its success and efforts to increase its success and efficiency in operation.efficiency in operation.
Teaching Is a ProfessionTeaching Is a Profession It meets the above-mentioned standards. It meets the above-mentioned standards. It sets a high demand on the people who It sets a high demand on the people who
engage in the field.engage in the field. It provides opportunities for teachers to It provides opportunities for teachers to
develop in different aspects.develop in different aspects.
Personal Development Personal Development
Working with the brightest young people Working with the brightest young people puts us under great pressure forputs us under great pressure for
Professional developmentProfessional development Intellectual developmentIntellectual development Academic developmentAcademic development Moral developmentMoral development
Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development How to become a good teacher How to become a good teacher
competentcompetent effective in teaching effective in teaching
caring caring reflectivereflective
Intellectual DevelopmentIntellectual Development Cognitive competenceCognitive competence
searchsearch select select understandunderstand critically evaluatecritically evaluate
Communicative competenceCommunicative competence expressexpress
Academic DevelopmentAcademic Development Move up in the academic rankMove up in the academic rank Keep up with the latest developmentKeep up with the latest development Reach out to the worldReach out to the world
Moral DevelopmentMoral Development
As a model for the students, a teacherAs a model for the students, a teacher ’’ss view of lifeview of life social behaviorsocial behavior value judgmentvalue judgment
can have a direct impact on the growth of the can have a direct impact on the growth of the students students
A Challenging CareerA Challenging Career We are being evaluated by the brightest We are being evaluated by the brightest
young people in the country all the time.young people in the country all the time. We are being remembered for good or We are being remembered for good or
bad by our students.bad by our students. We can make all the differences in their We can make all the differences in their
lives.lives.
A Rewarding OccupationA Rewarding Occupation Being a teacher allows you to grow in all Being a teacher allows you to grow in all
aspects;aspects;
Being a teacher enables you to become a Being a teacher enables you to become a better and fully developed person in better and fully developed person in time.time.
II. Complexity in Language Teaching
Something special about language teaching
Language learning process Factors involved in language teaching Factors at work in the learning process
What makes language teaching What makes language teaching different from the teaching of any different from the teaching of any other subjects?other subjects?
Language does not only have a Language does not only have a system of its own, it carries system of its own, it carries meanings, ideas, philosophical meanings, ideas, philosophical understanding and the value understanding and the value judgment of the target culture.judgment of the target culture.
In the process of language In the process of language learning, the students are exposed learning, the students are exposed to all these cultural aspects. While to all these cultural aspects. While learning the language, they are learning the language, they are absorbing the culture, the belief absorbing the culture, the belief and the ideology of the target and the ideology of the target country. country.
Language Learning Is Language Learning Is
SSocialocial in Nature in NatureLearning through interactionsLearning through interactions
Learning from all sources Learning from all sources
pair work and group workpair work and group work
output
practice
review
input
competence
Language Learning Process
Factors Involved in Language Teaching
language competencelanguage competence
linguistic competencelinguistic competence
cultural awareness cultural awareness
learning process learning process
psychological support psychological support
personal confidencepersonal confidence
affective affective
…………
Keeping Them All Keeping Them All Under ControlUnder Control
You are more than a teacher or a You are more than a teacher or a craftsman;craftsman;
You are a professional; You are a professional; You can be an educator.You can be an educator.
Factors at Work in the Factors at Work in the Process of Learning a LanguageProcess of Learning a Language
Positive beliefs Positive beliefs Good learning strategies Good learning strategies EffortsEfforts Self-confidence Self-confidence AttitudeAttitude InterestInterest ………… Language learning Language learning
Research FindingsResearch FindingsCorrelationsCorrelations Positive beliefs about the language/LLPositive beliefs about the language/LL Good learning strategiesGood learning strategies
effortsefforts
self-efficacyself-efficacy
attitudeattitude Learning achievementLearning achievement
Negative Attitude/AttributionNegative Attitude/Attribution The highest correlation is found The highest correlation is found
between these two variables. It shows between these two variables. It shows that students with rather negative that students with rather negative attitude towards English learning will attitude towards English learning will likely attribute their undesirable likely attribute their undesirable performances to such factors as performances to such factors as teachers, time, luck and other factors. teachers, time, luck and other factors.
LearnersLearners’’ Inappropriate Inappropriate Beliefs about LLBeliefs about LL
EL is just like learning any other EL is just like learning any other subjects: memorizing the rules, reading subjects: memorizing the rules, reading ……
EL means a lot of rote learning and gap-EL means a lot of rote learning and gap-filling/MC filling/MC
Blind faith in a large size of vocabulary Blind faith in a large size of vocabulary EL means passing all the required examsEL means passing all the required exams EL is only a tool for future career EL is only a tool for future career
A Vicious Circle in ELA Vicious Circle in EL Test-oriented learningTest-oriented learning Selective noticingSelective noticing Problematic strategiesProblematic strategies Undesirable scoresUndesirable scores Lack of motivationLack of motivation Lack of confidenceLack of confidence
III. Challenges We Face in PDIII. Challenges We Face in PD
Tools of the toolTools of the toolSlaves to publicationsSlaves to publications
Small potatoesSmall potatoesInstitutional lonersInstitutional loners
TeachersTeachers’’ View of Themselves View of Themselves
While belittling themselves as such on theWhile belittling themselves as such on the
one hand, they are also very self-confidentone hand, they are also very self-confident
and individualistic on the other.and individualistic on the other.
The Trapped TeachersThe Trapped Teachers InstrumentalInstrumental OverwhelmedOverwhelmed FrustratedFrustrated Wander along with the tideWander along with the tide Forget about their professional Forget about their professional
responsibilityresponsibility Needs to be empoweredNeeds to be empowered
ELT in ChinaELT in China Test-drivenTest-driven Focused on language only Focused on language only Instrumental and practicalInstrumental and practical
Something is seriously missing in this Something is seriously missing in this approach to language learning.approach to language learning.
What Is Missing inWhat Is Missing in China China’’s ELT ?s ELT ?
The concern for the overall The concern for the overall development in both learning development in both learning
and teachingand teaching
A Cultural & Educational A Cultural & Educational Understanding of LTUnderstanding of LT
Deconstruct the grammatical Deconstruct the grammatical structure structure
Explain the meaning of the content Explain the meaning of the content
More Important TasksMore Important Tasks Cultivate their mindsCultivate their minds
to appreciate different points of viewsto appreciate different points of viewsto critically evaluate different culturesto critically evaluate different cultures
Develop their abilitiesDevelop their abilities
to work with others to work with others to speak up in publicto speak up in public to build up their own confidence to build up their own confidence ……
What Leads to Effective Teaching?What Leads to Effective Teaching? CCommitment ommitment CCommand of the language ommand of the language CConfidence onfidence CCare for the studentsare for the students CCommunicative ommunicative
…………
IV. Resources IV. Resources for Professional Development for Professional Development
Findings from Findings from an ASS-funded Research Projectan ASS-funded Research Project
A Study of the A Study of the Models of of Professional Development for Professional Development for University Teachers of English in University Teachers of English in ChinaChina
Models for PD in ChinaModels for PD in China A summer institute-DUTE ( A summer institute-DUTE (
formal/intensive/comprehensive)formal/intensive/comprehensive) The visiting-scholar program (informal/off The visiting-scholar program (informal/off
campus)campus) A project-based teacher-learning community A project-based teacher-learning community
(in-service)(in-service) An MA in TEFL program (formal/on campus)An MA in TEFL program (formal/on campus) A theme-based short-term model for PDA theme-based short-term model for PD
MethodsMethods
49 universities in 6 regions49 universities in 6 regions 920 valid questionnaires920 valid questionnaires More than 30 interviewsMore than 30 interviews
Finding 1: Finding 1: DiscrepanciesDiscrepancies
Between teachersBetween teachers’’ espoused needs and real espoused needs and real needs for effective teaching needs for effective teaching
Between their claimed beliefs in language Between their claimed beliefs in language teaching and their classroom behaviorteaching and their classroom behavior
Between their real interest and real needs Between their real interest and real needs
Why Is It So?Why Is It So? The current promotion policy that emphasizes The current promotion policy that emphasizes
number of published papers rather than their number of published papers rather than their classroom performanceclassroom performance
Pedagogical content knowledge and Pedagogical content knowledge and competence has been a missing link in our competence has been a missing link in our teacher development programs. teacher development programs.
Finding 2: Finding 2: Each Playing Its Own RoleEach Playing Its Own Role
Teachers develop steadily in a supportive Teachers develop steadily in a supportive teaching community.teaching community.
Teachers learn most efficiently in the process Teachers learn most efficiently in the process of doing projects. of doing projects.
Teachers grow professionally in the process of Teachers grow professionally in the process of sharing and interacting with their colleagues. sharing and interacting with their colleagues.
Finding 3:Finding 3:Optimizing the Limited ResourcesOptimizing the Limited Resources
Visiting ScholarsVisiting Scholars’’ program should be program should be used for more experienced teachers with used for more experienced teachers with clear ideas about their development.clear ideas about their development.
Young teachers have better chances for Young teachers have better chances for development in a supportive teacher development in a supportive teacher learning community learning community
Finding 4:Finding 4:
Theme-based short-term programs are Theme-based short-term programs are more effective and approachable by in-more effective and approachable by in-service teachers service teachers
They should be made available to They should be made available to teachers during the vacations.teachers during the vacations.
The themes of each program should meet The themes of each program should meet the needs of the teachers. the needs of the teachers.
Finding 5: Finding 5: AdministratorsAdministrators’’ Role in PD Role in PD
VisionVision Genuine concern for teachersGenuine concern for teachers’’ PD PD Creating positive and supportive Creating positive and supportive
communities communities
Professional development is not a personal Professional development is not a personal choice, it is a social obligation.choice, it is a social obligation.
A Very Good Book A Very Good Book for All Teachers of English for All Teachers of English
Psychology for Language Teachers: Psychology for Language Teachers: A Social Constructivist Approach A Social Constructivist Approach
-Marion Williams & Robert L. Burden-Marion Williams & Robert L. Burden
语言教师心理学初探语言教师心理学初探 外研社外研社 /2000/2000 年年
SummarySummary Understanding our professionUnderstanding our profession Factors involved in language teaching/learningFactors involved in language teaching/learning Professional Development through teachingProfessional Development through teaching Resources for professional developmentResources for professional development Optimizing the limited resources to promote Optimizing the limited resources to promote
professional developmentprofessional development
language teachinglanguage teaching language educationlanguage education
