Angļu valodas prasmes kā izglītības iestāžu vadītāju profesionālā kapitāla elements

Abstract

One of the variables in professional capital is decisional capital (Hagreaves & Fullan, 2012). Its quality depends on the amount and quality of other professional capital variables – human capital and social capital. Thus, decisional capital can be considered to be derived from the sum of accumulated human and social capital. Summarizing the interviews data, it can be concluded that the higher the level of English language skills, the greater the opportunity to use them as a resource for professional capital in a specific political, social and historical context. Namely, it can be said that in Latvia, in the 21st century, English language skills have become a resource for the leaders of educational institutions for the formation and development of professional practice, just as Russian language skills in the 20th century, during the Soviet occupation. Thus, if professional capital is resources, investments, and assets that make up, define, and develop a profession and its practice (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012), then English language skills are an element of the professional capital of educational leaders. From the answers of the respondents it can be concluded that the acquisition of the English language is promoted more by the internal motivation (personality requirement / understanding of the professional dimension) than by the external motivation. In some cases, the lack of motivation is the reason why the English language skills of the managers of an educational institution are not enough to be used as a resource to increase professional capital. It may be worthwhile for education policy makers at the state and local government level to develop common requirements for the skills of the managers of an educational institution, which in addition to the formal requirements (impeccable reputation, loyalty to the Republic of Latvia, pedagogical education or higher and pedagogical education) (Izglītības likums, 1998), would serve as a basis for creating a more homogeneous corps of heads of Latvian educational institutions and the quality of education in the country as whole.