Quality Professional Development Programs for Language Teachers:
Korean Case
Sunhee Choi, Ph.D
JeonJu University, Korea
“Teachers are the key to any education reform”
(UNESCO, 2006)
• Importance of Languages in the 21st Century• Reform Efforts of APEC Economies for Quality
Language Education• Korea’s Reform Efforts for Quality Language
Education• Quality Professional Development Programs for
Language Teachers• Long-Term Intensive Training Programs• Conclusions & Future Directions
Job Opportunity
Higher Education & Information
Diplomatic Discussion & Business Negotiation
Multicultural Understanding
Research Collaboration
Lower Starting Age of L2 EducationReduce Class Size
PolicyPolicy
Adopt Communicative MethodProvide Teacher Training
InstructionInstruction
Develop Proficiency StandardsDevelop Assessment Tools
AssessmentAssessment
Teacher Selection
Pre-Service Teacher Training
In-ServiceTeacherTraining
Instruction Curriculum
Quality Language Education
Language Skills
ContentKnowledge
Pedagogy
• Goals – Improve teachers’ language proficiency– Increase teachers’ capability to conduct
communication-oriented instruction– Promote teachers’ multicultural
understanding
• Overall Plans– Every teacher will get a short-term training at l
east every 3 years in addition to other training– Starting from 2007, 1000 teachers per year wil
l get 6 month-long intensive training until 2015– Teachers will be provided with individualized tr
aining programs according to their needs and proficiency levels
• Teacher-Initiated Training– During Breaks or After school– Teachers select topics & develop programs
• Short-Term Training– During Breaks or After School– Provided by Provincial or Local Districts
• Long-Term Intensive Training– 6 month long– Provided by Select Universities or Organization
Intensive Intensive Teacher Teacher TrainingTraining
Retreat Retreat Type Type
TrainingTraining
Online Online TrainingTraining
Commute Commute Type Type
TrainingTraining
Overseas Overseas TrainingTraining
• Started in 2003
• 200 – 300 elementary & secondary school teachers per year
• Teachers stay at dorms for 6 months
• Provide courses on language skills and pedagogy
• Include 5 week overseas field trip
Class Size
11 – 12 TeachersPromote Interaction
Teaching
English through English
English Only Zone
Use English Only during Training
Curriculum
Focus on Core ClassAssess Performance
• Survey was conducted in 2005
• Total of 200 program graduates responded
• Survey Items– Program Satisfaction– Effects on Language Skills & Pedagogy– Application to Classroom Practice
0
20
40
60
80
100
No Answer True Not True
Satisfaction
Language Skills
Pedagogy
Application
• Started in September 2007
• Teachers are assigned to 5 different levels according to the results of the level test taken at the start of training
• Focus more on Language Proficiency
• Each course is facilitated by various information technology
Online Program – Sample 2
Online Program – Sample 3
Online Program – Sample 4
3.8
3.9
4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
Course
Satisfaction
Application Management
Satisfaction
Participation
• Long-term intensive training is effective, in particular for improving communication skills
• Program graduates feel more comfortable teaching English through English than before
• Training programs should be more tailored to individual teachers according to their goals, experiences & learning styles
• Programs should include more practicum on using teaching models & techniques
• Teachers should be involved in designing & developing professional development programs
• Post-training support is much needed, especially for creating & maintaining teacher community