An Investigation of School Improvement Specialist Coaches’ (SISCs) Perceptions of INSET for Primary School English Language Teachers in Malaysia: Motivation, Practicalities and Challenges

Abstract

The Ministry of Education (MoE) in Malaysia introduced the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013- 2025) to transform the education system. One of the aims was to upgrade the quality of in-service teacher training for teachers. This has resulted in a reshaping of the type of courses and delivery mode for in-service education and training (INSET) of teachers in a topdown, national priority driven training model. This research investigates the professional development needs of Malaysian primary school English language teachers. Teachers’ perceptions of their professional development and the factors affecting it has so far been under-researched, at least in a Malaysian context. The research is informed by a qualitative survey approach investigating School Improvement Specialist Coaches’ (SISCs) perceptions of their continuous professional development and learning (CPDL) in their former role as primary school English language teachers. This research concerns SISCs’ perceptions of the INSET they had previously attended, their future expectations of CPDL for primary school teachers, their perceptions of continuing professional development (CPD) in relation to pupils’ needs in primary schools and their views on whether it had changed their practice in the classroom when they were practicing teachers in primary schools across different states in Malaysia. This paper focuses on the research participants’ perceptions of factors which encouraged and supported them in their experiences of professional development which enhanced their skills and factors which demotivated them. In addition, this paper also addresses the SISCs’ views of the practicalities and challenges of INSET for Primary school English language teachers in Malaysia.