How do English language teachers understand the idea of professional development in the recent curriculum reforms in China?

ABSTRACT

The term Professional Development (PD) was first introduced to English teachers in China in the Revised Curriculum Standards (RCS). For PD to be effective, the teachers and policymakers involved in its implementation need to have a common understanding of its scope and purposes, but little is known about how English teachers in China understand the notion of PD. This study examined teachers’ understandings of the elements of PD identified in the RCS using a questionnaire with 227 teachers and interviews with 18 teachers. This paper argues that the aim of the RCS is to bring about a very significant reform of teachers’ roles in their own development, and the enactment of the curriculum; however, the teachers do not understand PD in ways that confer ownership or empower them to enact curriculum changes. This paper highlights that, from an international perspective, the development of PD for teachers must recognize teachers’ existing experience of the curriculum, experience of PD and the ways they understand the goals of PD, and must promote a shared understanding of policy intentions in relation to PD.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher professional development
• in-service English teachers
• reflection
• curriculum reform
• China

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Man Lei

Man Lei is a Lecturer in the Foreign Languages College of Shanghai Normal University in China. She holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham, England. Her research interests centre on language teaching and education, curriculum innovation and development, teacher education in China, and teacher professional development.

Jane Medwell

Jane Medwell is an Associate Professor in the School of Education, University of Nottingham. Her research interests focus on teacher education and professional learning, teacher professionalism, primary education, and language learning and teaching.