ReflectionsReflectionsOn Empowerment and On Empowerment and

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

Dee ParkerDee ParkerCULI National Seminar 2009CULI National Seminar 2009

EmpowermentEmpowerment Enable the teachers to contribute to their ability Enable the teachers to contribute to their ability

to exercise a measure of choice in their livesto exercise a measure of choice in their lives

Create an environment that encourages teachers Create an environment that encourages teachers to grow in a particular directionto grow in a particular direction

Create an action plan that is based on the way Create an action plan that is based on the way things are out there (reality)things are out there (reality)

Acknowledge the constraints that contribute to Acknowledge the constraints that contribute to the desirable outcomes, but which permit us to the desirable outcomes, but which permit us to choose actions for successchoose actions for success

EmpowermentEmpowerment Empowerment requires changeEmpowerment requires change

• in interpersonal relationshipsin interpersonal relationships• in the allocation of institutional resources, in the allocation of institutional resources,

including uses of time and spaceincluding uses of time and space• in the power structure at largein the power structure at large

Empowerment allows the realization of Empowerment allows the realization of teacher and student potential leading to teacher and student potential leading to liberationliberation

Empowerment does Empowerment does notnot come come quickly quickly or or easilyeasily

Plus ca change…Plus ca change…

Reaction to 1977 throughout Europe Reaction to 1977 throughout Europe attributed poor student performance due attributed poor student performance due to teachers’ lack of linguistic and to teachers’ lack of linguistic and pedagogical competencepedagogical competence

MoE developed national system-wide in-MoE developed national system-wide in-service teacher education program for service teacher education program for foreign language teachers foreign language teachers

Special Foreign Language ProjectSpecial Foreign Language Project (PSLS) (PSLS)

What?What? Italy developed systematic in-Italy developed systematic in-service teacher education (PSLS) service teacher education (PSLS) 19781978

Why? Why? To retrain Italian teachers of To retrain Italian teachers of English, French, German, and English, French, German, and SpanishSpanish

Who? Who? Secondary school teachersSecondary school teachers How?How? Collaboration by MoE and Collaboration by MoE and

cultural cultural agencies (US, France, agencies (US, France, Germany, Germany, Spain)Spain)

PSLSPSLS

Systematic response to problems in FL Systematic response to problems in FL teacher education in Italian schools due to:teacher education in Italian schools due to:

• poor student competence in FLpoor student competence in FL• lack of pre- or in-service teacher lack of pre- or in-service teacher

educationeducation• focus of university studies on literature focus of university studies on literature

studies as opposed to communicative studies as opposed to communicative competence competence

PurposePurpose

To improve the standards of foreign To improve the standards of foreign language education for Italian studentslanguage education for Italian students

To update the professional knowledge and To update the professional knowledge and linguistic competence of Italian foreign linguistic competence of Italian foreign language teacherslanguage teachers

To address the lack of pre-service To address the lack of pre-service education in the educational systemeducation in the educational system

PSLS Theoretical AssumptionsPSLS Theoretical Assumptions

That in-service education would be more That in-service education would be more effective when it waseffective when it was• conducted by fellow teacher (peer conducted by fellow teacher (peer

education)education)• conducted in familiar school contextsconducted in familiar school contexts• conducted in a collaborative way, in a conducted in a collaborative way, in a

non- threatening atmosphere and non- threatening atmosphere and without pressures of assessment and without pressures of assessment and evaluationevaluation

• immediately applied in the teacher’s immediately applied in the teacher’s own contextown context

PSLS AssumptionsPSLS Assumptions

• readjusted to meet the teachers’ readjusted to meet the teachers’ changing needschanging needs

• conducted in the target language conducted in the target language (integrating language improvement with (integrating language improvement with the development of teaching skills)the development of teaching skills)

TrainersTrainers Seminar leaders selected once a year from most Seminar leaders selected once a year from most

committed to the project committed to the project Trainers selected according to regional demandTrainers selected according to regional demand Trainers are classroom teachers at secondary Trainers are classroom teachers at secondary

levellevel 10-15 sent abroad annually to US for training10-15 sent abroad annually to US for training 1993 seminars held in Italy 1993 seminars held in Italy Fulbright scholars assigned regionally to support Fulbright scholars assigned regionally to support

trainers trainers

PSLSPSLSOrganizationOrganization

Levels: gradual reinforcement of knowledge and Levels: gradual reinforcement of knowledge and specific skillsspecific skills

• Level 1 (100 hours) theoretical background in Level 1 (100 hours) theoretical background in FL teaching, general language improvementFL teaching, general language improvement

• Level 2/3 (50 hours each) teaching skills, Level 2/3 (50 hours each) teaching skills, testing, evaluation, teaching literaturetesting, evaluation, teaching literature

• 1991 all levels 50 hours focusing on topics on 1991 all levels 50 hours focusing on topics on specific areasspecific areas

Course LogisticsCourse Logistics 20 participants per course – 20 participants per course – voluntaryvoluntary

Release timeRelease time from school duties one 3-hour from school duties one 3-hour afternoon session per week and three intensive 8- afternoon session per week and three intensive 8- hour days throughout the school yearhour days throughout the school year

No system of accreditation or career incentive for No system of accreditation or career incentive for teachers or leaders until 1989teachers or leaders until 1989

CommitmentCommitment of attending teachers of attending teachers

FreedomFreedom to devise own courses and to to devise own courses and to experimentexperiment

PSLS Project OutcomesPSLS Project Outcomes Creation of pre-service education for all teachersCreation of pre-service education for all teachers

Support for new forms of in-service education Support for new forms of in-service education developed locally by teachersdeveloped locally by teachers

Closer link between practical and theoretical Closer link between practical and theoretical issues issues

Leaders demonstrated professional accountability Leaders demonstrated professional accountability by writing articles, textbooks and giving by writing articles, textbooks and giving conference presentations.conference presentations.

Durable OutcomesDurable Outcomes Support Support and and commitmentcommitment from the organizing from the organizing

agencies (MoE,US Embassy)agencies (MoE,US Embassy)

Project’s Project’s adaptabilitadaptability to changing needs and y to changing needs and conditionsconditions

Leaders and participants’ Leaders and participants’ shared statusshared status

Non-invasive proceduresNon-invasive procedures (narratives, focus (narratives, focus groups, lesson transcript analysis, teacher logs groups, lesson transcript analysis, teacher logs brought participants’ classes into the course.brought participants’ classes into the course.

Network Approach to Peer Training Network Approach to Peer Training Thailand Thailand

Network Training ThailandNetwork Training Thailand

Attempt to replicate similar model in Thailand to Attempt to replicate similar model in Thailand to train secondary school teachers (2004)train secondary school teachers (2004)

Create a network of “peer” teacher trainers who Create a network of “peer” teacher trainers who commit to work with colleagues on a bi-weekly commit to work with colleagues on a bi-weekly basis throughout the school years basis throughout the school years

Organized by AUA, US Embassy RELO and MoE Organized by AUA, US Embassy RELO and MoE

Traditional Training “BlockTraditional Training “Blocktraining,” intensive short training,” intensive short courses, often mandatory courses, often mandatory introduce new ideas or introduce new ideas or expose teachers to new expose teachers to new techniques, techniques, BUTBUT

Consistent on-goingConsistent on-going training with training with regular input and regular feedback is regular input and regular feedback is most effective in helping teachers adopt most effective in helping teachers adopt new practices new practices

Training Paradigm ShiftTraining Paradigm Shift

Purpose Purpose To prepare English To prepare English

teachers to deliver teachers to deliver training modules to peer training modules to peer teachers on a bi-weekly teachers on a bi-weekly basisbasis

To apply cooperative To apply cooperative learning principals to learning principals to collaborative teaching collaborative teaching methodsmethods

To develop support To develop support groups and organize joint groups and organize joint activities: peer activities: peer observation and observation and feedback, team teaching, feedback, team teaching, peer coachingpeer coaching

TrainersTrainers

Most have been on the AFS teacher Most have been on the AFS teacher exchange program: one year in the USA exchange program: one year in the USA with host family, teamed with ESL teacherwith host family, teamed with ESL teacher

Later groups chosen with MOE to fill Later groups chosen with MOE to fill educational areas where no trainers educational areas where no trainers existedexisted

Trainers had to able to deliver modules in Trainers had to able to deliver modules in EnglishEnglish

Trainers supported regionally by State Trainers supported regionally by State Department English Language FellowsDepartment English Language Fellows

Training ProcessTraining Process 20-22 participants per course – 20-22 participants per course – voluntaryvoluntary

Commitment to become teacher trainersCommitment to become teacher trainers

3 weeks training of trainers 3 weeks training of trainers

• Week One: From teacher to teacher trainer (SIT Week One: From teacher to teacher trainer (SIT approach)approach)

• Weeks Two & Three: Presentation of 10 modulesWeeks Two & Three: Presentation of 10 modules

• Module presentation include theory, focus sessions, Module presentation include theory, focus sessions, demonstrations, microteaching and feedback sessionsdemonstrations, microteaching and feedback sessions

CommitmentCommitment

Teacher participants returned to home Teacher participants returned to home areas, recruited 15-20 peers on a areas, recruited 15-20 peers on a voluntary basis, delivered 10 modules voluntary basis, delivered 10 modules

Modules delivered bi-weekly throughout Modules delivered bi-weekly throughout academic yearacademic year

Trainees return to their schools, try out the Trainees return to their schools, try out the modules, get feedbackmodules, get feedback at next session at next session

OutcomesOutcomes Project ran 7 trainings of trainers between Project ran 7 trainings of trainers between

October 2004 and May 2007 and 2 retrainingsOctober 2004 and May 2007 and 2 retrainings

Trainers (160) in over 60 of 76 provincesTrainers (160) in over 60 of 76 provinces

Trainers retrained over 4500 teachers throughout Trainers retrained over 4500 teachers throughout Thailand in an Thailand in an extendedextended period period

Trainers felt Trainers felt commitmentcommitment to teacher to teacher developmentdevelopment

Sustainable LeadershipSustainable Leadership

Moving from ‘Flurries of change to lasting Moving from ‘Flurries of Change’ to lasting improvementimprovement

Secondary school teachers as agents of change Secondary school teachers as agents of change in their communitiesin their communities

Three Cs:Three Cs:Commitmentto teacher developmentCollaborationfor successConfidencein communicating your vision and empowering others

Changing PlansChanging Plans

Project unfinished Project unfinished

• Lack of Lack of long termlong term commitmencommitment to project on t to project on part of stakeholderspart of stakeholders

• Lack of release time for trainingLack of release time for training

• Trainers drawn off and transferred to other Trainers drawn off and transferred to other positions positions

• Funding provided for new activities Funding provided for new activities

Cart Before the Horse Cart Before the Horse

Competence and ConfidenceCompetence and Confidence Majority of Thai teachers have Majority of Thai teachers have

insufficient English proficiencyinsufficient English proficiency Most primary teachers not trained to Most primary teachers not trained to

teach English – non-English majors teach English – non-English majors Vast number secondary school Vast number secondary school

teachers unable to conduct teaching teachers unable to conduct teaching effectively in Englisheffectively in English

Non native communicative Non native communicative competence often based on assumed competence often based on assumed abilities of native speaker of English abilities of native speaker of English

Competence and ConfidenceCompetence and Confidence

Teachers self-perceptionsTeachers self-perceptions• Lack confidence to teach in English, Lack confidence to teach in English,

especially CLTespecially CLT• Cannot convey messages to their Cannot convey messages to their

students in the target languagestudents in the target language• Cannot provide a good language model Cannot provide a good language model • Lack of creativity as teachers as Lack of creativity as teachers as

teachers can not use creative language teachers can not use creative language in classroom or choose creative in classroom or choose creative materials materials

Competence and ConfidenceCompetence and Confidence

• Feel more comfortable in teacher Feel more comfortable in teacher fronted classfronted class

• Want textbook designed to help them Want textbook designed to help them out of their lack of confidenceout of their lack of confidence

• Language tasks too abstract for those Language tasks too abstract for those not yet conceptually capable of not yet conceptually capable of functioning at that levelfunctioning at that level

• Lack ability to change curriculum when Lack ability to change curriculum when students needs are not met students needs are not met