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1. Contextualizing Teacher Training through Needs Analysis and Reflexivity

   In: English Teaching Forum 2023, Volume 61, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   Experienced teacher trainers Jimalee Sowell and Kevin McCaughey offer “suggestions teacher trainers might implement to improve their understanding of the local teachers they work with as well as ways of knowing the self and how the self interfaces with local contexts.” The article describes methods of needs assessment and discusses techniques for examining and understanding the self, all in the context of enhancing teacher training and professional development.

2. Options for Teacher Professional Development

   In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 2 Format(s): Text

   This article addresses the relationship of high-quality teacher characteristics to student learning and then presents eight elements of development and six models of teacher training. The eight elements are: voluntary participation, mutual respect, collaboration, action and reflection, organizational setting, choice and change, motivation, and self-direction. The six models are: conference planning (set goals before going), peer coaching, action research (how to improve one’s own practice), collaborative study groups, individual development plan, and dialogue journals.

3. Plurilingualism and Translanguaging Strategies for Language Teachers and Students

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This session, "Plurilingualism and Translanguaging Strategies for Language Teachers and Students," demonstrates how including students’ first language (L1) in the ELT classroom offers the potential for innovative and nuanced communication and understanding in both students’ L1 and L2 and shows activities that can be adapted for students of all ages and levels.

4. Statistics and Research Design: Essential Concepts for Working Teachers

   In: English Teaching Forum 2001, Volume 39, Number 3 Format(s): Text

   This article presents key concepts for teachers seeking to understand statistical reasoning and research design. First the author establishes that one must understand what is being defined and how. The author then defines useful terms such as variable and average and illustrates them with real-world examples. The article concludes by presenting simple tips for understanding and using statistics appropriately, relating both to classroom teaching and research design using quantitative data.

5. Center for Applied Linguistics

   Format(s): Text, Website, Image / Poster / Maps

   The Center for Applied Linguistics offers everything from information on immersion programs to the newest research and guidance on best practices for teachers. Visit regularly to keep up to date on research-based strategies and practical hands-on tools to help develop effective classroom activities.

6. Lesson Planning 101: Mapping Activities for a Clear Path to Learning

   In: American English Webinars Format(s): Text, Video

   This webinar teaches participants to create "road map" classroom activities.

7. TIRF Resources

   Format(s): Website

   The International Research Foundation for English Language Education has a wide variety of resources for teachers, researchers, parents, graduate students, program administrators, and the general public. Here you will find links to educational websites, lists of professional development opportunities and articles, and information about grants and fellowships for educators.

8. A Story-Based Framework for a Primary School Classroom

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 4 Format(s): Text

   These two story-based lesson plans were designed to address the lack of motivation and interest by students in a sixth grade English class in Greece. The lessons appeal to young learners who want to be creative and imaginative by making learning entertaining. The animal stories are authentic texts, not graded readers, with helpful visuals. They can be used with a holistic approach and provide a springboard to learning grammar and structure and to recycle vocabulary. Predicting and concentration are some of the thinking skills involved.

9. Reflection as a Necessary Condition for Action Research

   In: English Teaching Forum 2007, Volume 45, Number 1 Format(s): Text

   This article explores the idea that teachers can improve their practice through reflection and action research. The author discusses the constructivist and socio-constructivist roots of action research. The case study explores the use of a project to improve learner autonomy and cooperation. Students made key decisions about the project content, the size of the groups, and the roles that each member would play. To evaluate the experience, the instructor asked students open-ended questions. A colleague-observer filled out rating scales about instructor and student behaviors.

10. A Case Study of Reflective Journals in a University Level Writing Course in Hungary

    In: English Teaching Forum 2003, Volume 41, Number 1 Format(s): Text

    This article is about the author’s experience using learning logs and in-class journaling for her college-level ESL writing class in Hungary. Her purpose was to gather information on the students’ writing experiences, both before and during the class, and to address issues raised in the logs and journals. She taught the class with a reflective-teaching, learner-centered style and a process-learning curriculum.

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