Quality Professional Development Programs for Language Teachers:

Korean Case

Sunhee Choi, Ph.D

JeonJu University, Korea

“Teachers are the key to any education reform”

(UNESCO, 2006)

• Importance of Languages in the 21st Century• Reform Efforts of APEC Economies for Quality

Language Education• Korea’s Reform Efforts for Quality Language

Education• Quality Professional Development Programs for

Language Teachers• Long-Term Intensive Training Programs• Conclusions & Future Directions

Job Opportunity

Higher Education & Information

Diplomatic Discussion & Business Negotiation

Multicultural Understanding

Research Collaboration

Lower Starting Age of L2 EducationReduce Class Size

PolicyPolicy

Adopt Communicative MethodProvide Teacher Training

InstructionInstruction

Develop Proficiency StandardsDevelop Assessment Tools

AssessmentAssessment

Teacher Selection

Pre-Service Teacher Training

In-ServiceTeacherTraining

Instruction Curriculum

Quality Language Education

Language Skills

ContentKnowledge

Pedagogy

• Goals – Improve teachers’ language proficiency– Increase teachers’ capability to conduct

communication-oriented instruction– Promote teachers’ multicultural

understanding

• Overall Plans– Every teacher will get a short-term training at l

east every 3 years in addition to other training– Starting from 2007, 1000 teachers per year wil

l get 6 month-long intensive training until 2015– Teachers will be provided with individualized tr

aining programs according to their needs and proficiency levels

• Teacher-Initiated Training– During Breaks or After school– Teachers select topics & develop programs

• Short-Term Training– During Breaks or After School– Provided by Provincial or Local Districts

• Long-Term Intensive Training– 6 month long– Provided by Select Universities or Organization

Intensive Intensive Teacher Teacher TrainingTraining

Retreat Retreat Type Type

TrainingTraining

Online Online TrainingTraining

Commute Commute Type Type

TrainingTraining

Overseas Overseas TrainingTraining

• Started in 2003

• 200 – 300 elementary & secondary school teachers per year

• Teachers stay at dorms for 6 months

• Provide courses on language skills and pedagogy

• Include 5 week overseas field trip

Class Size

11 – 12 TeachersPromote Interaction

Teaching

English through English

English Only Zone

Use English Only during Training

Curriculum

Focus on Core ClassAssess Performance

• Survey was conducted in 2005

• Total of 200 program graduates responded

• Survey Items– Program Satisfaction– Effects on Language Skills & Pedagogy– Application to Classroom Practice

0

20

40

60

80

100

No Answer True Not True

Satisfaction

Language Skills

Pedagogy

Application

• Started in September 2007

• Teachers are assigned to 5 different levels according to the results of the level test taken at the start of training

• Focus more on Language Proficiency

• Each course is facilitated by various information technology

Online Program – Sample 2

Online Program – Sample 3

Online Program – Sample 4

3.8

3.9

4

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

4.5

Course

Satisfaction

Application Management

Satisfaction

Participation

• Long-term intensive training is effective, in particular for improving communication skills

• Program graduates feel more comfortable teaching English through English than before

• Training programs should be more tailored to individual teachers according to their goals, experiences & learning styles

• Programs should include more practicum on using teaching models & techniques

• Teachers should be involved in designing & developing professional development programs

• Post-training support is much needed, especially for creating & maintaining teacher community