A Systematic Review of Professional Development Programs for Language Teachers over ten years: Regional Perspectives

Abstract

The concepts of what it means to be a learner and a language teacher have radically changed with the developments that caused English language to become a lingua franca around the world. In response to such radical changes, language teachers are urged to constantly reconstruct their knowledge, improve their practices, attitudes and beliefs accordingly. Professional Development (PD) programs are a way of improving language teachers’ practices. In this systematic review, the qualitative studies about PD programs in the field of foreign language teaching were reviewed according to predetermined criteria. Selected studies were analyzed using MAXQDA software. The analysis of selected articles shows that there are regional patterns in terms of the purpose of PD. While Region 1 focused on framing PD activities around educational policies, the studies in Region 2 focused on integration of technology and collaboration in PD activities. In addition, the studies were diverse in their methodological and theoretical frameworks. It is concluded that there is a need to explore the experiences of language teachers after they attend PD programs. 

Keywords

• professional development (PD),teacher learning,English language teaching,systematic review,MAXQDA

Kaynakça

1. Alimirzaee, H., & Ashraf, H. (2016). On the effect of online peer knowledge sharing on Iranian EFL teachers' professional development. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 6(1), 134. doi:10.17507/tpls.0601.18
2. Atai, M. R., & Nejadghanbar, H. (2016). Unpacking in-service EFL teachers' critical incidents: The case of Iran. RELC Journal, 47(1), 97-110. doi:10.1177/0033688216631177
3. Avalos, B. (2011). Teacher professional development in teaching and teacher education over ten years. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(1), 10-20. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.08.007
4. Avidov-Ungar, O. (2016). A model of professional development: Teachers' perceptions of their professional development. Teachers and Teaching. doi:10.1080/13540602.2016.1158955
5. Bai, B. (2014). Enhancing in-service teachers' professional learning through a school-based professional development programme in Hong Kong. Journal of Education for Teaching, 40(4), 434-436. doi:10.1080/02607476.2014.929380
6. Bailey, K. M. (2009). Language Teacher Supervision. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education (pp. 269-279). New York: Cambridge University Press.
7. Bocala, C. (2015). From experience to expertise. Journal of Teacher Education, 66(4), 349-362. doi:10.1177/0022487115592032
8. Bolam, R. (2002). Professional development and professionalism. In T. Bush & L. Bell (Eds.), The principles and practice of educational management (pp. 103-118). London: Paul Chapman.

9. Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33(8), 3-15. doi:10.3102/0013189x033008003
10. Borko, H., Jacobs, J., & Koellner, K. (2010). Contemporary approaches to teacher professional development. International Encyclopedia of Education, 7, 548-556.
11. Bransford, J., Darling-Hammond, L., & LePage, P. (2005). Introduction. In J. Darling-Hammond & L. Bransford (Eds.), Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do (pp. 1-39). San Franscisco: Jossey Bass.
12. Burns, A., & Richards, J. C. (Eds.). (2009). The Cambridge guide to second language teacher education. New York: Cambridge University Press.
13. Chen, W.-C. (2012). Professional growth during cyber collaboration between pre-service and in-service teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(2), 218-228. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2011.09.010
14. Chen, C. W., & C, Y. (2014). Learning from Team Teaching and Beyond: A Case Study on EFL Teachers' Professional Development. Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 18(1), 33-47.
15. Choi, T. H. (2013). Autobiographical reflections for teacher professional learning. Professional Development in Education, 39(5), 822-840. doi:10.1080/19415257.2012.737355
16. Cinarbas, H. I., & Hos, R. (2016). Cultural responsiveness in EFL teaching: reflections from native instructors. Journal of Language and Cultural Education, 4(2). doi:10.1515/jolace-2016-0014
17. Cochran-Smith, M., Feiman-Nemser, S., McIntyre, D. J., & Demers, K. E. (Eds.). (2008). The development of the personal self and professional identity in learning to teach. In Handbook of Research on Teacher Education: Enduring Questions in Changing Contexts (3rd ed.) (pp. 732-755). New York: Routledge.
18. Corcoran, J., Littell, J. H., & Pillai, V. K. (2008). Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (pocket guides to social work research methods). Oxford: Oxford University Press, USA.
19. Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. W. (2011). Policies that support professional development in an era of reform. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(6), 81-92. doi:10.1177/003172171109200622
20. de Vries, S., van de Grift, W. J. C. M., & Jansen, E. P. W. A. (2014). How teachers' beliefs about learning and teaching relate to their continuing professional development. Teachers and Teaching, 20(3), 338-357. doi:10.1080/13540602.2013.848521
21. Doering, A., Hughes, J., & Huffman, D. (2003). Preservice teachers. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 35(3), 342-361. doi:10.1080/15391523.2003.10782390
22. Donato, R. (2000). Sociocultural contributions to understanding the foreign and second language classroom. In P. Lantolf (Ed.), Sociocultural theory and second language learning (pp. 27-50). Oxford: Oxford University Publishing.
23. Eekelen, I. M. V., Boshuizen, H. P. A., & Vermunt, J. D. (2005). Self-regulation in higher education teacher learning. Higher Education, 50(3), 447-471. doi:10.1007/s10734-004-6362-0
24. Farrell, T. S. C. (2015). The practices of encouraging TESOL teachers to engage in reflective practice: An appraisal of recent research contributions. Language Teaching Research. doi:10.1177/1362168815617335
25. Feiman-Nemser, S. (2008). Teacher Learning: How do teachers learn to teach? In M. Cochran-Smith, S. Feiman-Nemser, D. J. McIntyre, & K. E. Demers (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teacher Education: Enduring Questions in Changing Contexts (3rd ed.) (pp. 697-760). New York: Routledge.
26. Florio-Ruane, S. (2002). More light: An argument for complexity in studies of teaching and teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(3), 205-215. doi:10.1177/0022487102053003003
27. Franson, C., & Holliday, A. (2009). Social and Cultural Perspectives. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education (pp. 40-47). New York: Cambridge University Press.
28. Gan, Z. (2014). Learning from interpersonal interactions during the practicum: A case study of non-native ESL student teachers. Journal of Education for Teaching, 40(2), 128-139. doi:10.1080/02607476.2013.869969
29. Gleeson, M., & Davison, C. (2016). A conflict between experience and professional learning: Subject teachers beliefs about teaching English language learners. RELC Journal, 47(1), 43-57. doi:10.1177/0033688216631221
30. Goh, L., & Loh, K.-C. (2013). "Let them fish": Empowering student-teachers for professional development through the project approach. Educational Action Research, 21(2), 202-217. doi:10.1080/09650792.2013.789725
31. Gough, D., Oliver, S., & Thomas, J. (Eds.). (2012). An introduction to systematic reviews. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
32. Hammerness, K., Darling-Hammond, L., & Bransfords, J. (2005). How teachers learn and develop. In L. Darling-Hammond & J. Bransfords (Eds.), Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do (pp. 358-389). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
33. Hardre, P. L., Ling, C., Shehab, R. L., Nanny, M. A., Nollert, M. U., Refai, H., … Wollega, E. D. (2013). Teachers in an Interdisciplinary learning community: Engaging, integrating, and strengthening K-12 education. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(5), 409-425. doi:10.1177/0022487113496640
34. Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching with DVD (4th edition) (Longman handbooks for language teachers) (4th ed.). Harlow, England: Pearson Longman ELT.
35. Hoekstra, A., & Korthagen, F. (2011). Teacher learning in a context of educational change: Informal learning versus systematically supported learning. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(1), 76-92. doi:10.1177/0022487110382917
36. Horwitz, E. K. (2008). Becoming a Language Teacher: A Practical Guide to Second Language Learning and Teaching (1st Edition ed.). Pearson Education.
37. Hos, R., & Topal, H. (2013). The Current Status of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers' Professional Development in Turkey: A Systematic Review of Literature. Anthropologist, 16(1-2), 293-305.
38. Hos, R., Yagci, H., & Cinarbas, H. I. (2016). Turkish EFL students' perceptions about blended English courses in a teacher education program. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 2(3), 774-784. doi:10.24289/ijsser.279022
39. Hung, H.-T., & Yeh, H.-C. (2013). Forming a change environment to encourage professional development through a teacher study group. Teaching and Teacher Education, 36, 153-165. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2013.07.009
40. Hutchinson, M., & Hadjioannou, X. (2011). Better serving the needs of limited English proficient (LEP) students in the mainstream classroom: Examining the impact of an inquiry-based hybrid professional development program. Teachers and Teaching, 17(1), 91-113. doi:10.1080/13540602.2011.538499
41. Jesson, J. K., Matheson, L., & Lacey, F. M. (2011). Doing your literature review: Traditional and systematic techniques. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.
42. Johnston, B. (2003). Values in English Language Teaching. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
43. Johnston, B. (2009). Collaborative Teacher Development. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education (pp. 241-250). New York: Cambridge University Press.
44. Kang, Y., & Cheng, X. (2013). Teacher learning in the workplace: A study of the relationship between a novice EFL teacher's classroom practices and cognition development. Language Teaching Research, 18(2), 169-186. doi:10.1177/1362168813505939
45. Kiely, R., & Davis, M. (2010). From transmission to transformation: Teacher learning in English for speakers of other languages. Language Teaching Research, 14(3), 277-295. doi:10.1177/1362168810365241
46. Kocooglu, Z. (2008). TURKISH EFL STUDENT TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS ON THE ROLE OF ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIOS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 7(3), 71-79.
47. Kong, M. L. F. (2016). On teaching methods: The personal experiences of teachers of English. RELC Journal. doi:10.1177/0033688216661251
48. Kuijpers, J. M., Houtveen, A. A. M., & Wubbels, T. (2010). An integrated professional development model for effective teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(8), 1687-1694. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2010.06.021
49. Leung, C. (2009). Second Language Teacher Professionalism. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to second language teacher education (pp. 49-59). New York: Cambridge University Press.
50. Lewis, C. & Tsuchida, I. (1998). A lesson is like a swiftly flowing river: Research lessons and the improvement of Japanese education. American Educator, Winter, 14 (17), 50 -52.
51. Liu, M.-H., & Kleinsasser, R. C. (2014). Fostering Online Professional Development Between EFL Preservice and Inservice Teachers: Affordances and Challenges. English Teaching & Learning, 38(2), 29-64.
52. Lucas, T., & Grinberg, J. (2008). Responding to the linguistic reality of mainstream classrooms: preparing all teachers to teach English language learners. In Handbook of Research on Teacher Education: Enduring Questions in Changing Contexts (3rd ed.) (pp. 607-637). New York: Routledge.
53. Mahmoudi, F., & Özkan, Y. (2015). Exploring experienced and novice teachers' perceptions about professional development activities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 57-64. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.487
54. Malderez, A. (2009). Mentoring. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge Guide to Second Language Teacher Education (pp. 259-269). New York: Cambridge University Press.
55. Martin-Beltran, M., & Peercy, M. M. (2014). Collaboration to teach English language learners: Opportunities for shared teacher learning. Teachers and Teaching, 20(6), 721-737. doi:10.1080/13540602.2014.885704
56. Miller, J. (2011). Teachers' work in culturally and linguistically diverse schools. Teachers and Teaching, 17(4), 451-466. doi:10.1080/13540602.2011.580521 Nami, F., Marandi, S. S., & Sotoudehnama, E. (2015). CALL teacher professional growth through lesson study practice: An investigation into EFL teachers' perceptions. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 29(4), 658-682. doi:10.1080/09588221.2015.1016439
57. National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA). (2007). The growing number of limited English proficient students, 1996-2006. Washington, DC: NCELA
58. Nelson, T., & Slavit, D. (2008). Supported teacher collaborative inquiry. Teacher Education Quarterly, 35(1), 99-116.
59. O'Dwyer, J. B., & Atlı, H. H. (2014). A study of in-service teacher educator roles, with implications for a curriculum for their professional development. European Journal of Teacher Education, 38(1), 4-20. doi:10.1080/02619768.2014.902438
60. Padwad, A., & Dixit, K. K. (2008). Impact of Professional Learning Community Participation on Teachers' Thinking about Classroom Problems. TESL-EJ, 12(3), 1-11.
61. Parsaiyan, S. F., Ghahremani Ghajar, S. ., Salahimoghaddam, S., & Janahmadi, F. (2015). From spectator to composer: The roses and rocks in the life of a language teacher. Language Teaching Research, 20(2), 196-208. doi:10.1177/1362168815614339
62. Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2005). Systematic reviews in the social sciences: A practical guide (3rd ed.). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell (an imprint of John Wiley & Sons Ltd).
63. Richards, J. C., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2005). Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
64. Saito, E. (2012). Key issues of lesson study in Japan and the United States: A literature review. Professional Development in Education, 38(5), 777-789. doi:10.1080/19415257.2012.668857
65. Sakamoto, N. (2011). Professional development throughkizuki- cognitive, emotional, and collegial awareness. Teacher Development, 15(2), 187-203. doi:10.1080/13664530.2011.571501
66. Sharkey, J., Clavijo Olarte, A., & Ramirez, L. M. (2016). Developing a deeper understanding of community-based Pedagogies with teachers: Learning with and from teachers in Colombia. Journal of Teacher Education, 67(4), 306-319. doi:10.1177/0022487116654005
67. Singh, G. (2006). Teaching and learning in the language teacher education course room: A critical Sociocultural perspective. RELC Journal, 37(2), 149-175. doi:10.1177/0033688206067426
68. Susoy, Z. (2015). Watch your teaching: A reflection strategy for EFL Pre-service teachers through video recordings. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 163-171. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.501
69. Westheimer, J. (2008). Learning among colleagues: teacher community and the shared enterprise of education. In M. Cochran-Smith, S. Feiman-Nemser, & D. J. McIntyre (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Teacher Education Enduring Questions in Changing Contexts (3rd ed.) (pp. 756-784). New York: Routledge.
70. Wong-Fillmore, L., & Snow, C. (2005). What teachers need to know about language. In T. Adger, C. E. Snow, & D. Christian (Eds.), What teachers need to know about language (pp. 7-54). Washington, DC: Lawrence Erlbaum.
71. Xu, Y. (2013). Becoming researchers: A narrative study of Chinese university EFL teachers' research practice and their professional identity construction. Language Teaching Research, 18(2), 242-259. doi:10.1177/1362168813505943
72. Yumru, H. (2015). EFL teachers' preferences for teacher learning activities in a professional development course. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 178-183. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.503
73. Zandi, P., Thang, S. M., & Krish, P. (2014). Teacher professional development through Blogging: Some preliminary findings. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 118, 530-536. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.02.072
74. Zwart, R. C., Wubbels, T., Bolhuis, S., & Bergen, T. C. M. (2008). Teacher learning through reciprocal peer coaching: An analysis of activity sequences. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(4), 982-1002. doi:10.1016/j.tate.2007.11.003