Professional development and ESL teacher quality: An empirical study

Abstract

A broader awareness of ESL teachers' conceptions for engaging in PD is vital for them to gain productive outcomes from prevail-ing Professional Development (PD) opportunities. The qualitative case study reported here investigated the implications of PD initiatives to heighten ESL teachers' quality in their professional practice. The study used semi-structured interviews to gather data from ten in-service ESL teachers of a government university in Sri Lanka and, Thematic Analysis for recognizing, arranging and interpreting data. The results demonstrated four key implications of PD that empowered teachers to enhance the quality in their practice: (a) refinement of teachers' character and behaviour (b) sustaining teachers' currency of knowledge in terms of qualifications, content and overall knowledge and experience, thereby growing into quality practitioners with certificates and credentials, (c) enriching teachers' quality of delivery via improved skills and expertise, and (d) maintaining teachers' profes-sional standards. These outcomes could be achieved through both independent and sponsored PD activities regulated by dem-ocratic and managerialist principles respectively. The study has valuable implications for PD providers and policy makers, and points to the need of considering them in designing, delivering and framing PD activities in ESL in order to achieve optimum learner outcomes via meaningful PD initiatives.

Language Alienation of Sri Lankan Students Studying Overseas: An Empirical Study

“…Critically, those who lack English skills, on the other hand, are highly likely to develop negative pre-conceptions about their social and educational backgrounds. As validated by previous studies, English skills are vital for securing better employment in the Sri Lankan job market (Abeywickrama, 2021a(Abeywickrama, , 2021b and in foreign countries (Singh, 2018)…”

Commentaries on IDC Theory in practice

“…Continuous involvement in professional development events has many advantages for teachers. It promotes self-reflection and self-disclosure which lead to broader awareness and a higher level of internalisation, and fosters collaboration and interaction among teachers (Abeywickrama, 2021). It is essential for pre-service and in-service teachers alike to be continuously engaged in professional development courses within a community of practice to keep their knowledge and skills abreast.…”