Session Information
SES C 10, Paper Session
Paper Session
Contribution
The aim of my proposed research is to provide a better understanding of the continuous professional development of teachers of English in the context of Second Chance Schools in Greece. This context belongs to adult education and my research will combine the theoretical framework and the prerequisites of adult education, as well as that of continuous professional development. To accomplish an evaluation of the situation, a deep research into the conditions, the gaps and the human resources will be made and recommendations for a genuine innovative CPD model of professional development of teachers of English will be provided.
In the framework of adult education in Greece, Second Chance Schools were implemented in order to facilitate the fight against illiteracy of adults, social exclusion (European Commission (2003). The target group consisted of economic underprivileged groups Kassimati (1998); Spinthouraki et al (2008). The role of the teachers was a key one (IDEKE (2003).
In the specific context learning English was a vital component of the program for the development of the European citizen that comes in contrast to the offhandedness of training that was offered in a new field. On the other hand, central to the improvement of second language teaching is the teacher rather than the method or the materials (Prabhu, 1990, 1992), as (Freeman, 1991; Freeman, 1994; Johnson, 1992; Pennycook, 1989; Richards 1987; Richards & Nunan, 1989).
My consideration is what precise form the professional development of teachers of English should take in SCSs to be effective since adult education in Greece is a developing field of activities. I believe that this survey will give insight into an area of teaching English that needs more attention. The absence of respective research approaches in my country strengthens the contribution and the importance of the proposed research by providing feasible answers to problematic training for a qualitative upgrading of the educational systems of adult education.
The following research questions were formed to provide me with sufficient answers so that to enable me into a deep study of the whole situation:
A.What professional support is currently provided for teachers of English at the Second Chance schools?
B.What do teachers feel about the adequacy or otherwise of this provision?
C.What kind of professional support is needed for teachers of English at Second Chance schools?
D.Is there a perceived gap between existing provision and teachers’ needs? If so, what is the nature of this gap?
E. How might any gap be filled?
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
European Commission. (2003) Implementing Lifelong Learning Strategies in Europe: Progress report on the follow-up to the 2002 Council resolution, December 2003. Brussels: European Commission, Educational Lifelong Learning Policy Development Freeman, D. (1994). Knowing into doing: Teacher education and the problem of transfer. In D. Li, D. Mahoney, & J. C. Richards (EDs.) Exploring second language teacher development (pp. 1-20). Hong Kong: City Polytechnic of Hong Kong. Freeman, D. (1991). “To make the tacit explicit”: Teacher education, emerging discourse, and conceptions of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 7 (5/6), 439-454. IDEKE (2003). School Guidelines for Second Chance Schools. Athens: IDEKE (in Greek). Johnson, K.E. (1992). Learning to teach: Instructional actions and decisions of preservice ESL teachers. TESOL Quarterly, 26 (3), 507-535. Kassimati,K.,(ed) (1998) Social Exclusion: the Greek Experience. Athens: Gutenberg (in Greek) Pennycook, A. (1989). The concept of method, interested knowledge and the politics of language teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 23 (4), 589-618. Prabhu, N.S. (1992). The dynamics of the language lesson. TESOL quarterly, 26 (2), 225-242. Prabhu, N.S. (1990). There is no best method-why? TESOL quarterly, 24 (2), 161-176. Richards, J.C. (1987). The dilemma of teacher education in TESOL. TESOL quarterly 21 (2), 209-226. Richards, J.C., & Nunan, D. (Eds.). (1989).Second language teacher education. New York: Cambridge University Press. Spinthouraki, J.A., Karatzia-Stavlioti, E.,Lempesi, G.E., Papadimitriou, I.,(November, 2008), Educational Policies that Adress Social Inequality, Country Report, Department of Elementary Education, University of Patras, Greece.
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