Quality language teaching in Quality language teaching in (mainstream) schools(mainstream) schoolsCreating a culture of qualityCreating a culture of quality

EAQUALS / ALTE ConferenceEAQUALS / ALTE Conference

LisbonLisbon

November 2008November 2008

OutlineOutline

• What do we mean by quality?What do we mean by quality?• Creating a quality cultureCreating a quality culture• Describing what you doDescribing what you do• Leadership?Leadership?

How do we describe quality?How do we describe quality?

• A good lessonA good lesson• Outstanding progressOutstanding progress• A successful schoolA successful school• An enriching experienceAn enriching experience• Brilliant teachersBrilliant teachersWhat criteria would you use for describing What criteria would you use for describing

these?these?

What do we mean by a What do we mean by a « culture of quality »?« culture of quality »?

• Quality competence in an individual:Quality competence in an individual:• A set of attitudes, skills and habitsA set of attitudes, skills and habits

• Quality competence in a group, or Quality competence in a group, or institution:institution:• Leadership Leadership • Intellectual and emotional capacityIntellectual and emotional capacity

Stimuli and brakes on Stimuli and brakes on qualityquality

• Which of these help create a Which of these help create a quality culture in the school?quality culture in the school?

• Which ones hinder quality?Which ones hinder quality?

School School inspectorsinspectors

National National curriculacurricula

ParentsParents CoursebooksCoursebooks

Examinations Examinations and and standardised standardised teststests

ColleaguesColleagues

A positive cultureA positive culture

• Features of a positive culture:Features of a positive culture:• Teachers talk to each otherTeachers talk to each other• Ideas and materials are sharedIdeas and materials are shared• Lessons are observedLessons are observed• There are projects and action researchThere are projects and action research• Leadership is distributedLeadership is distributed

Try and express for yourself your commitment

to quality in your job. •« For me quality means … ».•« For us, quality means….  »

CommitmentCommitment

• Emotional capacity grows through shared vision, strong commitment to the institution’s values, ambitions and goals.

• Intellectual capacity is founded in emotional commitment and is grown through consistent, stimulating professional development, learning dialogues and experiences

Building capacityBuilding capacity

The following cluster of skills will be evident in a quality culture:

active listening, empathising; giving feedback, giving praise; managing conflict, negotiating; networking.

Skills for a quality Skills for a quality cultureculture

• What are my institution’s most significant skills and capabilities?

• What problems and challenges do we need to overcome?

• Looking back over the last three years what would I change?

• What do our clients really want?• Are my perceptions of the institution’s

culture shared by my colleagues?• Would I recommend the institution to a

friend:• to work there?

• to study there?

Assess your quality Assess your quality cultureculture

Quality principles 1Quality principles 1

• A relational modelA relational model• It must start with an identification of the It must start with an identification of the

“client” of the school“client” of the school• Client needs, wishes and motivation must be Client needs, wishes and motivation must be

analysedanalysed• Opportunities for negotiation and feedback Opportunities for negotiation and feedback

are providedare provided• There are procedures for measuring short-There are procedures for measuring short-

term and long-term satisfactionterm and long-term satisfaction

Quality principles 2Quality principles 2

• Process-orientationProcess-orientation• Requires an analysis of the Requires an analysis of the

processes of design, delivery and processes of design, delivery and evaluation of language educationevaluation of language education

• Design – fixing aims, objectives, Design – fixing aims, objectives, sequencing, contentsequencing, content

• Delivery – presentation, managing Delivery – presentation, managing activities, setting tasksactivities, setting tasks

• Evaluation – assessing results, Evaluation – assessing results, affective impact, efficiency of affective impact, efficiency of processesprocesses

• Quality slogan – “Doing the right Quality slogan – “Doing the right things, doing them right”things, doing them right”

Quality principles 3Quality principles 3

• Results orientedResults oriented• Is intended to implement change – in Is intended to implement change – in

practices, methods, approachpractices, methods, approach• Requires specific measurable objectives, Requires specific measurable objectives,

indicators of successindicators of success• Starts with the baseline – what is the Starts with the baseline – what is the

starting point?starting point?• Needs steps for “institutionalising”, making Needs steps for “institutionalising”, making

the quality part of everyday procedurethe quality part of everyday procedure

Principles for quality Principles for quality 44

• Value driven trainingValue driven training• Involves identifying the values Involves identifying the values

in the institutionin the institution• Respect for the individualRespect for the individual• Personal developmentPersonal development• Social cohesionSocial cohesion• Intercultural understandingIntercultural understanding• …………

• Quality slogan – “Training Quality slogan – “Training without clear values is like a without clear values is like a monkey learningmonkey learning new tricks”new tricks”

Some suggestionsSome suggestions

• Inter-cultural competenceInter-cultural competence: « evidence of : « evidence of activities which encourage learners to reflect activities which encourage learners to reflect on linguistic and cultural similarities and on linguistic and cultural similarities and differences; opportunities for developing differences; opportunities for developing appropriate strategies for effective inter-appropriate strategies for effective inter-cultural communication » cultural communication »

The interest, relevance, The interest, relevance, appropriacy of textsappropriacy of texts

• Texts = both spoken and written language:Texts = both spoken and written language:• « lessons include input of spoken and « lessons include input of spoken and

written texts, which are at an written texts, which are at an appropriate level for the learners, appropriate level for the learners, adapted to their interests and needs; adapted to their interests and needs; priority is given, where this is possible, priority is given, where this is possible, to authentic use of the target to authentic use of the target language »language »

Some suggestionsSome suggestions• Inter-cultural competenceInter-cultural competence: : « evidence of « evidence of

activities which encourage learners to activities which encourage learners to reflect on linguistic and cultural reflect on linguistic and cultural similarities and differences; opportunities similarities and differences; opportunities for developing appropriate strategies for for developing appropriate strategies for effective inter-cultural communication » effective inter-cultural communication »