1. Professional Awareness and the Development of Foreign Language Teachers Professional Awareness and the Development of Foreign Language Teachers ZHOU Yan National Research Center for Foreign Language Education, BFSU

2. Outline 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 development IV. Resources for professional development

3. Is There a Difference between … Teaching as a job and teaching as a profession? Teaching as a job and teaching as a profession? English teaching and English education? English teaching and English education?

4. Definition of Education The process of training and developing the knowledge, skill, mind,character, etc. especially by formal schooling. The process of training and developing the knowledge, skill, mind,character, etc. especially by formal schooling. -- Webster ’ s New World Dictionary -- Webster ’ s New World Dictionary of the American Language of the American Language

5. The Purpose of Education Education means change: Education means change: moral moral intellectual intellectual psychological psychological physical physical

6. English Education Promoting changes in those fields Promoting changes in those fields through English learning Producing people with English language competence in various fields Producing people with English language competence in various fields

7. University Education Is a Privilege in China Experts in a special field Experts in a special field Critical and independent thinkers Critical and independent thinkers Leaders in all walks of life Leaders in all walks of life

8. The Challenges We Teachers Face Today High expectation from students, parents and administrators High expectation from students, parents and administrators Teach and publish Teach and publish Pressure to raise the passing rate of CET Pressure to raise the passing rate of CET Little difference between working life and family life Little difference between working life and family life

9. The Attitude Determines Teaching as a job: Teaching as a job: Something you have to do to earn a living; Teaching as a profession: Teaching as a profession: Something you enjoy doing to make your life more meaningful. Something you enjoy doing to make your life more meaningful.

10. Job Job Teaching is daily routine work; Teaching is daily routine work; Profession Profession Teaching is your life career. Teaching is your life career.

11. Job Job You don ’ t want to think about it when you are out of the classroom; Profession Profession You forget the difference between in and out of the classroom; You forget the difference between in and out of the classroom;

12. Job Job Don ’ t want to make any changes in teaching because it means more efforts; because it means more efforts; Profession Profession Open to changes because they may lead to improvement in teaching; improvement in teaching;

13. Attitudes Leads to Commitment Attitudes Leads to Commitment Teaching focuses on texts Teaching focuses on texts Education focuses on students Education focuses on students A Craftsman vs. A Professional A Craftsman vs. A Professional

14. Increasing Our Professional Awareness By understanding our profession By understanding our profession By making our teachers By making our teachers professionals and educators professionals and educators

15. 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 ’ s NWDAL - Webster ’ s NWDAL

16. A profession needs constant upgrading of the knowledge in the development of the field. A profession needs constant upgrading of the knowledge in the development of the field. A profession requires continuous development on the part of the people who engage in the field. A profession requires continuous development on the part of the people who engage in the field. A profession takes a lot of research efforts to increase its success and efficiency in operation. A profession takes a lot of research efforts to increase its success and efficiency in operation.

17. Teaching Is a Profession It meets the above-mentioned standards. It meets the above-mentioned standards. It sets a high demand on the people who engage in the field. It sets a high demand on the people who engage in the field. It provides opportunities for teachers to develop in different aspects. It provides opportunities for teachers to develop in different aspects.

18. Personal Development Personal Development Working with the brightest young people puts us under great pressure for Professional development Professional development Intellectual development Intellectual development Academic development Academic development Moral development Moral development

19. Professional Development How to become a good teacher How to become a good teacher competent competent effective in teaching effective in teaching caring caring reflective reflective

20. Intellectual Development Cognitive competence Cognitive competence search search select select understand understand critically evaluate critically evaluate Communicative competence express express

21. Academic Development Move up in the academic rank Move up in the academic rank Keep up with the latest development Keep up with the latest development Reach out to the world Reach out to the world

22. Moral Development As a model for the students, a teacher ’ s view of life view of life social behavior social behavior value judgment value judgment can have a direct impact on the growth of the students can have a direct impact on the growth of the students

23. A Challenging Career We are being evaluated by the brightest young people in the country all the time. We are being evaluated by the brightest young people in the country all the time. We are being remembered for good or bad by our students. We are being remembered for good or bad by our students. We can make all the differences in their lives. We can make all the differences in their lives.

24. A Rewarding Occupation Being a teacher allows you to grow in all aspects; Being a teacher enables you to become a better and fully developed person in time.

25. 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

26. What makes language teaching different from the teaching of any other subjects? What makes language teaching different from the teaching of any other subjects?

27. Language does not only have a system of its own, it carries meanings, ideas, philosophical understanding and the value judgment of the target culture. Language does not only have a system of its own, it carries meanings, ideas, philosophical understanding and the value judgment of the target culture.

28. In the process of language learning, the students are exposed to all these cultural aspects. While learning the language, they are absorbing the culture, the belief and the ideology of the target country. In the process of language learning, the students are exposed to all these cultural aspects. While learning the language, they are absorbing the culture, the belief and the ideology of the target country.

29. Language Learning Is S ocial in Nature Learning through interactions Learning from all sources pair work and group work pair work and group work

30. practice reviewoutput input competence Language Learning Process

31. Factors Involved in Language Teaching language competence language competence linguistic competence linguistic competence cultural awareness cultural awareness learning process learning process psychological support psychological support personal confidence personal confidence affective affective …… ……

32. Keeping Them All Under Control You are more than a teacher or a craftsman; You are more than a teacher or a craftsman; You are a professional; You are a professional; You can be an educator. You can be an educator.

33. Factors at Work in the Process of Learning a Language Positive beliefs Positive beliefs Good learning strategies Good learning strategies Efforts Efforts Self-confidence Self-confidence Attitude Attitude Interest Interest …… Language learning …… Language learning

34. Research Findings Correlations Positive beliefs about the language/LL Positive beliefs about the language/LL Good learning strategies Good learning strategies efforts efforts self-efficacy self-efficacy attitude attitude Learning achievement Learning achievement

35. Negative Attitude/Attribution Negative Attitude/Attribution The highest correlation is found between these two variables. It shows that students with rather negative attitude towards English learning will likely attribute their undesirable performances to such factors as teachers, time, luck and other factors. The highest correlation is found between these two variables. It shows that students with rather negative attitude towards English learning will likely attribute their undesirable performances to such factors as teachers, time, luck and other factors.

36. Learners ’ Inappropriate Beliefs about LL EL is just like learning any other subjects: memorizing the rules, reading … EL is just like learning any other subjects: memorizing the rules, reading … EL means a lot of rote learning and gap- filling/MC EL means a lot of rote learning and gap- filling/MC Blind faith in a large size of vocabulary Blind faith in a large size of vocabulary EL means passing all the required exams EL means passing all the required exams EL is only a tool for future career EL is only a tool for future career

37. A Vicious Circle in EL Test-oriented learning Test-oriented learning Selective noticing Selective noticing Problematic strategies Problematic strategies Undesirable scores Undesirable scores Lack of motivation Lack of motivation Lack of confidence Lack of confidence

38. III. Challenges We Face in PD Tools of the tool Slaves to publications Small potatoes Institutional loners

39. Teachers ’ View of Themselves While belittling themselves as such on the While belittling themselves as such on the one hand, they are also very self-confident and individualistic on the other.

40. The Trapped Teachers Instrumental Instrumental Overwhelmed Overwhelmed Frustrated Frustrated Wander along with the tide Wander along with the tide Forget about their professional responsibility Forget about their professional responsibility Needs to be empowered Needs to be empowered

41. ELT in China Test-driven Test-driven Focused on language only Focused on language only Instrumental and practical Instrumental and practical Something is seriously missing in this approach to language learning.

42. What Is Missing in China ’ s ELT ? The concern for the overall development in both learning and teaching

43. A Cultural & Educational Understanding of LT Deconstruct the grammatical structure Deconstruct the grammatical structure Explain the meaning of the content Explain the meaning of the content

44. More Important Tasks Cultivate their minds Cultivate their minds to appreciate different points of views to critically evaluate different cultures Develop their abilities Develop their abilities to work with others to speak up in public to speak up in public to build up their own confidence … to build up their own confidence …

45. What Leads to Effective Teaching? Commitment Commitment Command of the language Command of the language Confidence Confidence Care for the students Care for the students Communicative Communicative …… ……

46. IV. Resources for Professional Development IV. Resources for Professional Development

47. Findings from an ASS-funded Research Project A Study of the Models of Professional Development for University Teachers of English in China A Study of the Models of Professional Development for University Teachers of English in ChinaModels

48. Models for PD in China A summer institute-DUTE ( formal/intensive/comprehensive) A summer institute-DUTE ( formal/intensive/comprehensive) The visiting-scholar program (informal/off campus) The visiting-scholar program (informal/off campus) A project-based teacher-learning community (in-service) A project-based teacher-learning community (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 PD A theme-based short-term model for PD

49. Methods 49 universities in 6 regions 49 universities in 6 regions 920 valid questionnaires 920 valid questionnaires More than 30 interviews More than 30 interviews

50. Finding 1: Discrepancies Between teachers ’ espoused needs and real needs for effective teaching Between teachers ’ espoused needs and real needs for effective teaching Between their claimed beliefs in language teaching and their classroom behavior Between their claimed beliefs in language teaching and their classroom behavior Between their real interest and real needs Between their real interest and real needs

51. Why Is It So? The current promotion policy that emphasizes number of published papers rather than their classroom performance The current promotion policy that emphasizes number of published papers rather than their classroom performance Pedagogical content knowledge and competence has been a missing link in our teacher development programs. Pedagogical content knowledge and competence has been a missing link in our teacher development programs.

52. Finding 2: Each Playing Its Own Role Teachers develop steadily in a supportive teaching community. Teachers develop steadily in a supportive teaching community. Teachers learn most efficiently in the process of doing projects. Teachers learn most efficiently in the process of doing projects. Teachers grow professionally in the process of sharing and interacting with their colleagues. Teachers grow professionally in the process of sharing and interacting with their colleagues.

53. Finding 3: Optimizing the Limited Resources Visiting Scholars ’ program should be used for more experienced teachers with clear ideas about their development. Visiting Scholars ’ program should be used for more experienced teachers with clear ideas about their development. Young teachers have better chances for development in a supportive teacher learning community Young teachers have better chances for development in a supportive teacher learning community

54. Finding 4: Theme-based short-term programs are more effective and approachable by in- service teachers Theme-based short-term programs are more effective and approachable by in- service teachers They should be made available to teachers during the vacations. They should be made available to teachers during the vacations. The themes of each program should meet the needs of the teachers. The themes of each program should meet the needs of the teachers.

55. Finding 5: Administrators ’ Role in PD Vision Vision Genuine concern for teachers ’ PD Genuine concern for teachers ’ PD Creating positive and supportive communities Creating positive and supportive communities Professional development is not a personal choice, it is a social obligation.

56. A Very Good Book for All Teachers of English Psychology for Language Teachers: A Social Constructivist Approach Psychology for Language Teachers: 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 /2000 年 外研社 /2000 年

57. Summary Understanding our profession Understanding our profession Factors involved in language teaching/learning Factors involved in language teaching/learning Professional Development through teaching Professional Development through teaching Resources for professional development Resources for professional development Optimizing the limited resources to promote professional development Optimizing the limited resources to promote professional development language teaching language education

58. Thank You! zhouyan@bfsu.edu.cn 2009.04.11