TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION – SKILLS IN DEMAND

Abstract

Skills in language teaching are a challenge in heterogeneous classes. The article aims to describe, analyze and interpret teaching based on classroom observations, activities and narrations. Combining the classroom activities and data collection, a range of observation method and non-observation methods were considered. The observation methods are observing, noting, recording. The non-observation methods are surveying, interviewing and journaling. Significant reflections and events were captured in Checklist, Content Parameters and Framework for classroom discourse analysis. The data collected from the personal contact programs of the post graduate English Language Teaching course were recorded, analyzed and reflected. The participants in the course are teachers in various schools and colleges across the state. Reflections on personal values, theoretical assumptions and gaps of knowledge are the focus of the study. To investigate the descriptions of teaching from the perspective of a participant observer, two reflection approaches, reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action were used for data analysis. Reflection-in-action is the spontaneous reflection on the needs of the teachers. These are discussions on the gaps between their current teaching and what they would like to see happening. The open ended relaxed conversations clarify what the teachers want to know, understand and do in a better way. Reflection-on-action is meta-thinking on what happened. This is reflecting on the decisions made by my learners and my own responses, reactions and thoughts and feelings about the lesson. For a period of three years, the method of the cyclical AR model of Plan-Action-Observe-Reflect was followed. The present study offers ideas and insights that teachers can develop as skills in the service of their students’ needs and contributes to better understanding of teaching experiences and communication among teaching challenges. The findings establish that teacher-centered learning operates in reciprocal relationship binding the instructor and the teacher, both sharing resources and becoming resources themselves.