Jon Parnham - Conditions and tools for mentoring in schools

In this talk, Jon talks about the benefits of mentoring programmes using a project in India as an example.

About the webinar

Mentoring programmes can play an important, transformative role in teacher development in education systems. The establishment of a mentoring system can provide on-going support for teachers, build their confidence in trying out new ideas in the classroom and help them implement changes in their teaching practice. However, implementing a mentoring programme isn’t easy. Ensuring that the programme is effective, valuable for teachers and has a positive impact on their classroom practice is key.

With reference to a mentoring programme for secondary school English teachers in Maharashtra, India, Jon talks about the conditions that need to be in place to establish a successful mentoring programme and a range of tools and techniques mentors can use with teachers they work with. This includes discussing when and how mentoring can benefit teachers, the different roles mentors can play, as well as the skills mentors need and how they can be developed. Jon also discusses how online support systems through social media groups and cross platform messaging apps such as WhatsApp can be used in mentoring programmes to further strengthen local communities of practice formed by mentors and teachers.

This session includes practical examples of successes and lessons learnt from a mentoring project that teachers, trainers and Head Teachers can adapt for their own contexts in order to plan, implement and evaluate a mentoring programme.

About the speaker

Jon has been working in ELT since 2001. Originally from Manchester, UK, he has worked in the UK, Taiwan, Hong Kong and India as a teacher, trainer and manager. In 2014 Jon joined the British Council in Mumbai as Senior Academic Manager and is responsible for the academic management of teacher training projects the British Council runs in West India. He holds a BA in English, a diploma in English language teaching, a diploma in ELT management, and an MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Manchester.

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight