The sustainability of a teacher professional development programme for beginning urban teachers

The Effect of Professional Development on Multilingual Education in Early Childhood in Luxembourg

“…This professional development course had some positive effect on the practitioners, for instance on their knowledge of language learning, their openness towards multilingual education, and their implementation of language activities. While we did not investigate professional learning as such, it became clear that the combination of instruction, the implementation of specific activities by the practitioners, the documentation and analysis of their practice, and the feedback offered productive learning opportunities (Gaikhorst et al, 2017;Prenger et al, 2017). The performance-based assignments and the documentation led the practitioners to reflect on language policies, beliefs and practices, construct new knowledge, and implement some change.…”

“…Trainers focus ideally on a specific content such as interaction strategies which they teach through a range of methods before they ask the practitioners to implement these and document their use (Egert, 2015;Egert et al, 2018). The documentation allows the practitioners to reflect on their practice and the trainers to support and give feedback (Gaikhorst, Beishuizen, Zijlstra & Volman, 2017). Particularly promising are models where practitioners research their own practice collaboratively with an intent to change it, for example through action-research or in professional learning communities (Gaikhorst et al, 2017;Grierson & Woloshyn, 2013;Trodd & Dickerson, 2018).…”

“…The documentation allows the practitioners to reflect on their practice and the trainers to support and give feedback (Gaikhorst, Beishuizen, Zijlstra & Volman, 2017). Particularly promising are models where practitioners research their own practice collaboratively with an intent to change it, for example through action-research or in professional learning communities (Gaikhorst et al, 2017;Grierson & Woloshyn, 2013;Trodd & Dickerson, 2018). Enquiry-based models facilitate learning and change because, firstly, they are based on personal needs and provide practitioners with some control over their learning, which, in turn, makes it meaningful and relevant.…”

“…Secondly, the methods encourage practitioners to collaboratively analyse their beliefs and construct new knowledge, thereby establishing links between theory and practice. Learning is likely to be sustainable because the practitioners develop a culture of learning and establish relationships with other actors to solve their locally situated problem (Gaikhorst et al, 2017;Prenger et al, 2017). Programmes that involve both teachers and carers can be effective.…”

“…We developed a model of PD that was collaborative and performance-based, encouraged reflection (Egert, 2015;Egert at al. 2018;Gaikhorst et al, 2017) and was grounded in effective early years practice (De Houwer, 2009;Hindman & Wasik, 2008;List, 2010). Based on claims of practitioners" poor competences (DJI, 2011; Thoma & Tracy, 2012) and the inconsistency between their beliefs and practices (Kratzmann et al, 2013;MENJE & INSIDE, 2015;Viernickel et al, 2013), the course focused on attitudes and the development of knowledge and skills within an enquiry-based framework (Egert 2015;Trodd & Dickerson, 2018).…”