Suggested Professional Development Actions for Teachers

(TESOL Worksheets--Workshops and Teacher Development)
Google: docs, pub
[Note: This one comes under my manager hat.  At my school, after we observe teachers, we are supposed to suggest a professional development action for them.  This often can take the form of watching a short video, or reading a short article.  Recently I was thinking that I was spending a lot of time tracking down appropriate videos or articles, and that it might be useful for me to start indexing the material that I was using.  This is a work in progress, so my plan is to keep adding to this index as I find new materials.  I'm going to keep editing and updating the google doc, but I might not keep updating this blog post.  For for the most recent edition, check the Google doc linked to  above]

General Classroom Management

Giving Instructions

Problem	Professional Development Action
Teacher uses unsimplified language when giving instructions Or, teacher repeats instructions several times instead of using Instruction Checking Questions	Watch Youtube video on Giving clear instructions If it’s a problem with low-level students, then also watch: Teaching English to Beginners

Language Lessons (Grammar and Vocabulary)

Staging

Problem	Professional Development Action
The lesson consists of just a series of controlled practice exercises, without the teacher ever attempting to clarify the meaning or form of the target language	Teacher is given this lesson plan flowchart.  They then plan out their next lesson using this table, and share it with their manager.

Presentation Stage

Problem	Professional Development Action
Grammar: Teacher attempts to convey the meaning of grammar to students using decontextualized sentences instead of establishing a situation	For the theory, watch Youtube video: A few tips on presenting grammar For a demonstration, watch Youtube video: Teaching a Grammatical Structure
Vocabulary: Teacher presents vocabulary using pictures without first establishing a context	Watch Youtube Video: CELTA ESSENTIALS: Using context

Clarification Stage

Problem	Professional Development Action
Teacher explains the grammar or vocabulary by lecture, without eliciting from the students.	For grammar: Read this article: TEACHING GRAMMAR: HOW TO ELICIT FUNCTION AND FORM For vocabulary: Watch this Youtube video: Eliciting and Concept Checking at Transworld Schools
Teacher conveys the meaning of grammar or vocabulary, but forgets to use Concept Checking Questions to check it	Watch Youtube Video: CELTA - Concept checking - structures
Teacher does not drill pronunciation of new language.	If the class is low-level, portions of this Youtube video, Teaching English to Beginners, deal with the importance of drilling with low-level students.

Controlled Practice

Problem	Solution
The student makes a grammar mistake.  The teacher corrects it by supplying the correct answer themselves, but does not provide the students any guidance as to why it was a mistake.	Teacher looks at a list of possible ways to correct an error.  Then the teacher decides which ways would work best in their situation. Follow-up with a brief discussion with their manager.

Receptive Skills

Staging

Problem	Professional Development Action
Teacher is confused about the basic staging of a receptive skills lesson.	Read this blog post: CELTA Lesson Frameworks: Receptive skills lessons

Reading Comprehension Questions

Problem	Professional Development Action
Teacher gives out reading comprehension questions, and then immediately calls on students for the answers without allowing students time to first work through the questions themselves	Have the teacher read about the Task Feedback Cycle in Learning Teaching by Jim Scrivener.  (Pages 174-176 in the 2nd edition.  Pages 254-256 in the 3rd edition--online HERE)
The teacher gets very frustrated with students when they can’t answer a reading comprehension question, but doesn’t attempt to support or guide the students	Read this article: Helping ESL students understand written texts Worksheet: Reading Support Strategies for Low Level students and Answers