Education in focus 8: In-service teacher development

Hello, my name is Arlen, I am a BA in ELT student in Mexico and, having listened to this insightful podcast, I was inspired to create a personal goal and plan to reach it within the year.
First of all, because I love reading, I would like to make this a part of my focus in furthering my professional development; thus, in the short term I will read and study articles related to classroom management, how to speak to and communicate with students, as it is an area I have felt lacking in since I started my practicum.
Secondly, I would like to further this learning by taking a course in the matter, or in something related to it, possibly get some mentoring and perhaps be a part of some class observations.
Lastly, as a long term goal, I would very much enjoy becoming more qualified. Getting a master’s degree and then a doctorate would be wonderful for my job prospects and self-confidence. I would also like to specialise in literary translation, as I do very much enjoy reading.
Thank you for this valuable information and resources offered to both teachers and teacher students.

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Hi, my name is Angel, and I’m really interested in growing as a teacher in ways that make a difference in my everyday practice. One of the areas I want to focus on is materials design, especially learning how to adapt resources for ESP students. I think being able to create and adjust materials so they fit learners’ specific needs is an important skill to develop.

During my teaching practice, I also want to get a better handle on classroom management. I’d like to learn how to keep students engaged and make sure they’re always working on something meaningful. Watching how experienced teachers manage this will be a big part of my learning process.

In the short term, I plan to join webinars where teachers and researchers share ideas about ESP and materials creation. I’m hoping these sessions will give me practical strategies I can try out in my own classes.

In the medium term, I want to start developing my own approaches to tailoring materials for the students in my community. I’ll be asking colleagues and mentors for feedback so I can keep improving and make sure the activities I design are effective.

Looking further ahead, my long-term goal is to study a master’s degree in ESP. I see this as a way to explore other fields, expand my knowledge, and keep growing as a professional who can contribute to language education in meaningful ways.

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Hi My name is Esteban I'm a BA in ELT from Mexico. After listening to the podcast, I have been reflecting on how I can develop professionally in a way that is meaningful to my daily teaching. One area I am particularly interested in is material creation and adaptation. I believe learning how to implement coursebook resources effectively is a valuable and important part of English teaching.

I want to use my teaching practice period as an opportunity to learn through observation. Furthermore, I plan to watch how experienced teachers use and adapt the coursebook in their lessons, and then apply new strategies in my own classes to help students engage more positively. Not only that, but I have noticed that activities from the book can sometimes feel monotonous, and I want to find ways to make them more interactive and relevant.

In the short term, I will keep a journal to document what I observe and try in my own lessons. I also plan to join online webinars that are related or can give me more inside views into teaching teachings, where teachers discuss practical ideas for material adaptation.

In the medium term, I aim to design my own supplementary activities and integrate them regularly into my teaching. I will ask colleagues and mentors for feedback to improve these materials. Additionally, I hope to be employed in an institution that values the ongoing changes that education has each year.

In the long term, I hope to build a useful set of adapted activities that work well with coursebook content. Eventually, I would like to support a language program by sharing what I have learned about making textbook resources more effective for learners, as I have seen how much impact well-prepared materials can have.

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My name is Adán Gurrola, and I am studying a BA in ELT in Mexico. I recently listened to your podcast on Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and it helped me recognize several key aspects of the importance of dedicating time to professional growth throughout a teaching career. Prior to listening to the podcast, my understanding of CPD was quite limited, as I believed it mainly involved reading materials related to one’s field. However, after listening carefully, I realized that CPD includes a wide range of activities and processes, such as attending workshops, seminars, conferences, and participating in peer observation. These experiences contribute to the development of teachers’ skills, confidence, and openness to collaboration and innovation, which ultimately leads to higher-quality teaching and improved student learning outcomes.
In many cases, teachers face heavy responsibilities, such as teaching multiple classes, planning lessons, and providing feedback, which can make it challenging to participate in more demanding activities like long seminars.
For this reason, I believe that creating a CPD action plan is essential, as it allows teachers to clearly define their objectives in the short, medium, and long term. Below, I share my own action plan as a way to reflect on my professional goals and possibly inspire others to design their own.
As a short-term goal (1–3 months), I plan to keep track of my class outcome by using a journal writing down the most relevant events, activities, and any kind of relevant interactions. I aim to analyze my teaching performance, strengthen my communication skills, and become more aware of areas that need improvement. will allow me to experiment with new strategies and gradually refine my teaching practice.
Regarding my medium-term goal (6–12 months), I intend to participate in conferences, online courses, or webinars focused on educational technology and the use of artificial intelligence in teaching. Since these tools are constantly evolving, I believe that developing competence in this area will help me work more efficiently and design more engaging classroom activities for my students.
Finally, for my long-term goal (1–2 years), I aspire to support and encourage other teachers in their CPD journeys by sharing my experiences through workshops or presentations at the institution where I work or where I will be working. My intention is to highlight the purpose of continuous professional development and provide practical suggestions on how teachers can integrate it into their professional lives.
In conclusion, I truly appreciated the podcast, as it motivated me to think deeply about the ways I can continue developing as a teacher. This reflection allowed me to design an action plan that I am committed to carrying out, with the goal of becoming a more prepared, confident, and effective educator.

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My name is Diana, I am currently getting a degree in English Language Teaching. I just listened to the podcast about CPD, and I have to say it was tremendously insightful. This is a term I was not familiar with but that carries so much meaning in the ELT field, so getting to know not only what it is but how to put it into practice and hearing all of the valuable advice was incredible.

CPD is definitely something that needs to be practice mot only in our student teacher years, it has to be an ongoing practice in our routines to further improve our teaching skills and give our best to our language learners. This will help us teachers stay motivated and gain confidence in our skills and share our knowledge in a meaningful way. Also, from the podcast I learned that CPD does not only have to be a solo endeavor, there are many ways other professionals and peers can help us, and we can help each other develop professionally.

As teachers we have the responsibility to help our students learn the language, provide meaningful lessons and help them achieve better learning results. That is something that can be achieved through CPD, and through us reflecting on our abilities and the areas in which we need to improve.

Therefore, after listening all about CPD has to offer I decided to come up with an action plan for my own personal development. This will involve short and long term plans. First, in the next couple of months I would like to take action and further prepare myself by taking webinars and taking on more teaching practice to learn more about lesson planing and classroom management.

Then, I plan to strengthen classroom practice through classroom observations and peer observations to take action on the feedback I receive and I would also like to experience and implement different lesson frameworks.

As for my long therm plan of action, I plan on getting a masters degree to further specialize in the area of ELT. Probably in materials design or ESP. I would also like to get a masters in translation and interpretation. Moreover, I would like to keep on adding certifications to my curriculum as I currently have the CELTA certification which was an amazing experience and helped improve my teaching skills tremendously.

To end my comment post, I would like to say that now I and more aware that Continuous Professional Development is an ongoing, self directed process that allows me to grow as an English language teacher. By combining all of what was mentioned in the podcast I aim to improve my teaching practice and contribute meaningfully to my educational context throughout my career.

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This is a very good oportunity to reflect on what Continuous Professional Development (CPD) truly means for teachers. Hello, my name is Patricia, and I am currently preparing myself to grow professionally in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT). Over time, I have realized that becoming a good teacher is not only about mastering content, but also about constantly improving our strategies, attitudes, and awareness of our students’ needs. Learning more about CPD has helped me understand that professional growth is an ongoing, structured process rather than something that happens by chance.

One idea that really stood out to me is that effective teachers are reflective practitioners. It is easy to repeat the same teaching routines year after year, but CPD encourages us to question what we do, why we do it, and how we can do it better. I also found it meaningful to think about teacher well-being as part of professional development. A teacher who is emotionally and mentally balanced is more capable of creating a positive and productive learning environment. This reminded me that growing professionally also involves learning how to manage stress, time, and expectations.

I would like to share some expectations I have for my future related to my BA and job.

Short-term goal

In the short term, I plan to focus on improving my lesson planning skills. I want to explore different lesson frameworks used in ELT, such as PPP, TBLT, and ESA, and try at least one new structure in my classes each week. To support this, I will watch teaching demonstration videos and reflect on how experienced teachers stage their lessons and give instructions. My aim is to feel more confident organizing clear, engaging, and well-paced lessons in the near future.

Medium-term goal

Over the next year, I would like to take a more structured course related to assessment in language learning. Designing effective assessments is something I still find challenging, especially when it comes to evaluating speaking and writing fairly. By completing a course or workshop on language assessment, I hope to learn how to create better rubrics, give more constructive feedback, and align evaluation with learning objectives. This will help me become a more consistent and supportive teacher.

Long-term goal

In the long term, my goal is to become actively involved in a professional teaching community. I would like to participate in conferences, teacher networks, or professional associations where I can exchange ideas with other educators. Eventually, I hope to share my own experiences through a small presentation or workshop. This would not only strengthen my confidence as a professional but also allow me to contribute to the learning of other teachers, just as I benefit from them.

In conclusion, CPD has shown me that professional growth is a continuous journey built on reflection, learning, and collaboration. By setting short-, medium-, and long-term goals, I feel more motivated and organized in my development as a future English teacher. I am excited to keep learning and evolving throughout my career

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Hi, my name is Yeimi, and I am a BA in English Language Teaching student in Mexico. CPD is still a new topic for me, and this material helped me understand that professional development goes beyond courses and webinars and also includes reflection and everyday teaching practice.

Based on this, I have set the following CPD goals:

1. Short-term (1–3 months):
• Attend webinars or short courses related to English teaching.
• Continue developing my teaching skills through micro-teaching and academic tasks.

2. Medium-term (6–12 months):
• Gain teaching experience in a school context and learn through collaboration and peer observation.
• Keep a reflective teaching journal.

3. Long-term (1–2 years):
• Pursue a master’s degree or complete diploma courses related to education in order to qualify for a coordination role in a public school.
• Stay updated with new teaching trends and methodologies.

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Hello, my name is Andrea and fter listening to the podcast about in-service teacher development I realized that professional growth doesn’t stop once you finish your studie, also as a BA student who is almost graduated, this really resonated with me because it made me reflect on what comes next after university, this podcast shows that being a teacher means constantly learning, reflecting, and adapting to new situations in the classroom.
What I liked most is how it highlights that development is not only about courses or certificates, but also about sharing experiences, learning from colleagues, and improving through everyday teaching practice. This connects a lot with my own experience as both a student and a teacher.
Listening to the podcast also helped me clarify my goals. In the short term, my goal is to graduate and complete this stage of my academic journey. In the medium term, I want to take a degree and continue learning and improving my language skills, since this is essential for my professional development. In the long term, I would like to learn another language, as I believe this will help me better understand different learning processes and become a more effective and empathetic teacher.
Overall, the podcast encouraged me to see teacher development as an ongoing journey and motivated me to keep growing beyond graduation.

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As a teacher in training, and before listening to the podcast, I knew CPD was important in the field, but had never actually considered everything it involves.
The podcast "Education in focus 8: In-service teacher development" was very helpful to me and has given me a deeper understanding of the importance of CPD. As teachers, I believe that one must never settle and should always seek and take every opportunity of improvement, no matter how big or small. Something that surprised me from the podcast was the mention of peer observations, as it is something simple but useful. Previously, I used to have the idea that in order for something to be considered improvement and especially in this field, it had to be something big, for example pursuing more degrees. Now, I take away an important realizarion: improvement can look like something as undemanding as keeping a journal.
In addition, the podcast made me realize that during my student years, I did have plans of CPD such as obtaining a TKT or CELTA certfication, but never actually made any progress and ended up stalling due to several reasons, but the examples given in the podcast motivated me.
In the near future, my plans of CPD are practicing self-reflection regarding my weaknesses as a teacher and creating an action plan that's doable.
In the long term, something I would like to achieve is obtaining an extra certification.
As a final comment, this podcast gave me very interesting insights and I really enjoyed it.

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Hello! My name is Yadira, and I am currently a student of a BA in ELT in Mexico. I just listened to your podcast about Continuous Professional Development (CPD), and I could spot many important facts regarding taking time to continue growing professionally in my career. Before listening to the podcast, I was thinking that CPD involved reading more about things related to the field of study, but once I listened to the whole podcast, I noticed I was very unaware of all the implications of this, since I realized that CPD encompasses varied activities or processes, such as seminars, workshops, conferences, peer observation, etc. This helps teachers to improve in their teaching competence, confidence, and willingness to collaborate and innovate, and this improves the quality of the teacher, which results in better student outcomes in learning.

As I was rereading the notes I took from the podcast, I paid attention to a tip mentioned: “make it practical and situated to what teachers do in the classroom”. This made me reflect a lot on the type of activities each teacher should select based on their context, students’ profiles, and even their likes. This means that teachers can choose the most appropriate activities to grow professionally by situating themselves in their classroom setting to adapt to the context, as well as choose the most practical or doable activities based on their time and workload. For many times, teachers have so much work (so many classes to teach, lessons to plan, and feedback to give) that it becomes very tough or even impossible to accomplish a seminar, for example.

Following this, I consider it is meaningful to have an action plan for CPD, so we can clarify our goals in the short, medium, and long term. Hence, I would like to share mine so others can reflect on these and consider applying them in their life.

In the short-term goal (1-3 months), I am willing to be observed by peers during my microteachings so I can receive feedback that helps me reflect on my teaching development and communication, identify strengths and weaknesses to work on, and improve continuously by implementing other strategies, perhaps.

In the medium-term goal (6-12 months), I plan to attend conferences and webinars related to emerging technologies and usage of AI, since that is a topic that is constantly evolving, and I find it very helpful master these technological tools to save time and to get new ideas of dynamics I can use in my teaching.

In the long-term goal (1-2 years), I will motivate other teachers to keep going with their CPD by presenting workshops or conferences at the institution where I will be working, on how teachers can improve their teaching practices. With this, I want to express my experiences and the benefits of CPD, as well as tips and ways in which this can be gotten. In that way, I wish I could help other teachers to become more knowledgeable in their pedagogical knowledge, more skillful in time management, interaction with students, and communication with them.

Lastly, I can say that I really appreciate the podcast, it made me reflect a lot on the ways I can keep growing professionally, I I could show it in my action plan, which I am looking forward to accomplishing to become more knowledgeable and equipped in my teaching.

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Hello! My name is Marian, and I am a BA in English Language Teaching student in Mexico. After listening to your podcast about CPD, I realized how important it is to keep growing as a teacher, not only during our studies but throughout our entire professional life. Even though I had heard about CPD a few times, I had never really stopped to think about what it truly means or how it applies to my future career.

What I understood from the podcast is that CPD is not something that ends once you graduate. On the contrary, it is a continuous process that helps teachers improve, stay motivated, and adapt to new ideas and changes in education. I also learned that CPD is very personal. While institutions sometimes offer support or training, it is mostly up to each teacher to look for opportunities to learn and develop professionally during your free time.

Another important point for me was realizing how CPD benefits not only teachers but also students. When teachers are more prepared and confident, classes become more engaging and meaningful, which I feel like it helps students achieve better learning results. This made me reflect on the responsibility teachers have to keep learning in order to offer the best possible education.

After listening to the podcast, I decided to create a simple action plan for my own professional development.
First, in the next few months I would like to attend webinars and conferences related to teaching and learning whenever I have the opportunity, so I can stay updated and learn from others in the field.
In the next year after graduating, I plan to read articles and research papers about new teaching approaches, as I believe it is important to understand what experts are currently discussing in education.
And finally, I want to take certification exams in the future to measure my progress, improve my language skills, and identify the areas where I still need to grow during teaching, doing peer observations, reflective journals, etc.

Thank you for sharing such an inspiring podcast. It really helped me reflect on my role as a future teacher and motivated me to take my professional development more seriously, furthermore, it was very insightful to hear about different teaching context in South Asia in contrast with Latin America. Thank you!

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Congrats on such an insightful podcast! My name is Alana Lora, and I'm currently studying to become an English teacher in Sinaloa, Mexico. I firmly believe that experience is the key to improving as an English educator. But your podcast helped me realize some aspects of teaching that I never considered before, or that I need to reflect more on. For instance, it took me quite some time to realize that English teachers are not equipped with a hard drive containing all the knowledge. In other words, it is okay if English teachers do not have the answers to every single question students ask. Going back to experience, I consider that this is directly connected to professional development due to constant practice and knowledge acquisition or expansion. In my experience, being a teacher's aid and taking a CELTA certification definitely provided me with opportunities to practice my teaching in a real-world environment and expanded my knowledge on teaching in a virtual environment. As for my plans, a short-term goal that I have is to attend webinars regarding English language teaching. Additionally, I'd like to get a master's degree focused on ELT or translating texts after having my degree, and maybe in one or two years, I'd finish my first book and translate it on my own so it can reach different audiences.

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Hi, my name is Fernanda, and I'm an (almost) certified English teacher from the BA in English Language Teaching in Mexico. I listened to your podcast to deepen my understanding of CPD, since it's a new topic for me at this point in my BA, and I would like to share my thoughts. For instance, when talking about CPD, my mind immediately went to webinars or courses, like the ones teacher Raha mentioned in the podcast, but it didn't occur to me that classroom-based models also count as CPD.
I guess my view of CPD was very limited, because I also saw it as teachers getting together to improve the content or pedagogic strategies for a specific context, for example, a subject. However, CPD is much more than that, since it not only benefits the school, but also the teachers individually. Continuous CPD boosts teachers' confidence and promotes teamwork, which eventually can be observed as quality lessons and overall student and teacher satisfaction.
I consider the teaching profession to be very dynamic, because there's always something to learn, despite the years of experience you might have; education trends are constantly changing. Some teachers feel pressured to know it all, but that's an unrealistic goal in my opinion. It is more about being proactive and seeking CPD opportunities, like webinars, seminars, reflection groups, etc.
This podcast made me think about my goals for implementing more CPD in my teaching journey.
1.Short term (1-3 months):
-Attend more courses and webinars to learn new things, also to complete my school credits.
-Complete my internship, which starts in a month.
-Take the IELTS exam and get a grade above 7 overall.
2. Medium-term (6-12 months):
-Secure a stable job in a school and immerse myself in the academic field by engaging with my peers, in reflection groups, peer observation, webinars provided by the institution, etc.
-Keep a teaching journal to reflect on my own teachings and situations that might arise while working.
3. Long-term (1-2 years):
-Complete a more challenging certification, for example, a DELTA or a master's degree.
-Study another language and get certified in it so I can also teach it.

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After listening to the podcast I realized how important it is to keep improving my teaching and language proficiency so I've came up with an action plan for my CPD journey:

Short-term:
-To get my degree and my English certification.
-Start writing a CPD journal.

Medium-term:
-To finish my school practices and gain experience.
-Taking ELT courses.

Long term:
-Getting a masters degree.
-Work as editor, translation or as an interpreter.

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Hello!!
My name Diana, I’ve just listened to your podcast “Education in focus 8: In-service teacher development”, I’m currently teaching at a language school in Mexico but I’m also studying for a degree to enhance my teaching. Before listening to the podcast, I was already aware that we as teachers will never stop learning. However, I was fascinated by the number of different activities we can do to continue improving while working, and I have to admit I was not familiar with the term “CPD”, so listening to this podcast has been delightful.
One thing I could not avoid thinking about was how wrong I was about CPD. I used to believe that improving professionally was just about taking courses, getting a master’s degree and even certificates. When the speakers mentioned talking with our coworkers and sharing ideas, I was amazed. Sharing new ideas and perspectives is beneficial for us to grow. In regards to ELT, we could ask our peers to allocate areas of improvement when something did not go as planned in class, to give an example.
Peer observation is not something negative as it is thought by some. There are lots of teachers who will not accept to be observed because they don’t want to be judged. However, it is necessary for us to receive feedback since our students ‘depend’ on us. And I used ‘depend’ because we are supposed to help them learn the language and we must consider several aspects (appropriate frameworks, rapport, etc.) for them to develop their language skills effactively. Of course, we are allowed to make mistakes because we are humans, but there is always room for improvement.
As I listened to the podcast, I noticed there are different activities I can do for my upcoming CPD. Here’s my action plan, in the short-term (1-3 months) I plan to schedule peer-observations in order to receive feedback from my coworkers who are teaching the same level as I am, therefore, they could provide me with meaningful comments about my performance. After receiving feedback from my peers, I will ask experienced teachers to mentor me and help me improve based on the negative comments I get.
In the next 6-12 months I aim to try out new frameworks, seating arrangements and classroom management techniques in order to discover what works best with me and my students, who knows I might end up changing my current beliefs.
Lastly, in the long-term (2-3 years), I expect to study for a master’s degree in education to broaden my professional development. As I mentioned before, we never stop learning.

This podcast made me realize how valuable is collectivism to grow professionally in any field. I genuinely feel motivated for my forthcoming CPD.
Best regards,
Diana.

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Hello! My name is Miguel and I am a student from a BA in ELT program in Mexico. After taking some time to listen to your podcast related to Continuous Professional Development (CPD), I noticed how important it is to take the time to continue with your professional growth in your career. I heard about this many times during my classes, from my teachers or colleagues but never gave it the attention it deserves until this moment. I am not saying that it did not matter to me or that it is not important to take into consideration, it is actually the opposite: preparing yourself constantly and being updated on what is to come, discover new things and enjoy teaching in new ways. CPD is a journey of building something new during practice, and the people who will benefit from this will be yourself and your students.
Going back to the podcast, I can mention things that I can take away from it which are the following:
CPD is a continuous process. You as a teacher should not stop learning new things and your professional development is not something that “finishes”, it is something that you are expanding and upgrading through your career thanks to actions and experiences you take.
CPD is personal. Sometimes institutions can provide useful workshops or materials that could help you in your professional development. However, this is not true for all institutions around the world and most of the time you will have to look for those opportunities by yourself. You need to have the willingness and the motivation to look for these opportunities and make the most of them every time since they are key in your growth as a professional.
CPD not only benefits you, but your students and colleagues as well. As mentioned above, CPD is crucial to yourself since it helps you grow and become a better version of yourself in the academic field. This creates a domino effect that is reflected on your future students because it makes classes more manageable and meaningful for them, which results in better learning outcomes.
After understanding what CPD is and its importance, I try to make an action plan for my own professional development with achievable goals in the near future, it is as follows:
First, I am willing to take webinars and attend conferences related to teaching and learning whenever possible. This is for me to be updated on topics related to these fields and acquire new knowledge which will help me after I graduate from my BA.
Second, I will start to read papers about new concepts and methodologies of teaching. I think it is of great importance to know what the experts are publishing and have a look at their points of view regarding current concepts and their impact on teaching.
Finally, I will take certification exams. This is for me to add them to my curriculum, as well as checking how much I am progressing on the mastery of the language and check which areas I need to improve on myself.
I appreciate the podcast, keep up the good content!

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My name is Delia, I am an English teacher in training residing in Culiacan, Sinaloa. I recently listened to the podcast “Education Focus 8: Service & Teacher Development”. Until now, I have just known that Continuous Professional Development is more than a mindset, the podcast explains in detail the concept, its characteristics, and different cases that exemplify them, it also provides a variety of strategies for us, as the audience, to put in practice in our own contexts.
Some takeaways from the podcast that I would like to highlight are the following:
CPD improves teacher competence. I always look for ways to develop my teaching skills, and the podcast reinforced how important it is to keep learning. CPD helps me improve my methods and stay updated with new approaches.
CPD takes time. This episode reminded me that professional growth does not happen overnight. Instead of looking for quick fixes, I need to commit to continuous learning and trust that the benefits will happen over time.
CPD boosts student motivation. I had considered in the past how my own development directly impacts my students, but this audio reminded me of this situation. When I improve my teaching strategies, I create a more engaging learning environment, which increases their motivation and willingness to learn.
Some of these ideas involve elements I had not considered as a part of CPD, which could have hinder my development as a teacher. However, the podcast helped me into getting to know all these different sections and strategies that can aid me through this process.
Here’s what I have planned:
Short-term (1-3 months): Write a reflective teaching journal. Every time I teach, I will document what works well in my lessons and what needs improvement. This practice will help me track my progress and set clear goals for growth. On the other hand I will also, join an online group of CPD teachers. I will actively participate in discussions, share my experiences, and learn from other teachers. Engaging with different perspectives will give me new ideas to implement in my classroom.
Medium-term (6-12 months): Try a new teaching technique. I will experiment with new ideas, approaches and techniques for my classes, learning to see how it impacts student engagement. After testing it, I will reflect on the results and make adjustments to improve my approach. Another plan is to be mentored by a more experienced teacher. I will accept and encourage any offer of guidance, this process will push me to analyze and improve my teaching practices.
Long-term (1-2 years): Present at a teacher conference. I will share my insights on student engagement and CPD, which will challenge me to research, organize my thoughts, and grow as a professional. Furthermore, I will create CPD resources for my institution. I will develop materials on effective teaching strategies to help other teachers enhance their practice.
This episode deeply motivated me in taking a more intentional approach to CPD, and start doing this changes. I will make continuous learning a priority and actively seek opportunities to improve my teaching.

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Wow! My name is Fedra, and I am currently an aspiring teacher about to receive a BA in ELT. However, this is my first time hearing about CPD— or Continuous Professional Development—explained so meticulously in a way that almost sounds effortless to the listener.

One of my favorite parts of the podcast was the following comment: "Professional development is more than improving knowledge. There is knowledge, there's pedagogical knowledge (which is knowledge of teaching), and there's content knowledge (which is knowing your subject), whatever it is. They are both important in teacher competence, but there's more to being an effective teacher than just knowledge and skills. There's the ability to work effectively with others, collaboratively and collegially; being confident is part of being an effective teacher, as is teacher motivation. [...] Professional development is more than simply acquiring new knowledge and skills."

Sometimes it is easy for teachers to forget that teaching is more than mastering your subject and how to deliver the content to your students, resulting in us underperforming due to overlooking other parts of teaching that are equally as important. Thus, it is crucial to sit down and reflect on what we should be working on to improve ourselves entirely.

However, this type of self-reflection doesn't have to be done alone. In the podcast, the speakers highlight the existence of mentoring and reflection groups where teachers reunite in small groups to discuss challenges and possible solutions for the aforementioned. Partaking in such activities is beneficial for teachers and students alike, as improvement in the way we teach often leads to learners performing better. Therefore, every teacher should be interested in continuous development, as further explained in the podcast: "If teachers are going to change, they need to be willing to change."

I thoroughly enjoyed the emphasis the speakers made on how important it is to keep an open mind when it comes to change while seeking improvement. Moreover, how vital it is for our improvement to get rid of attitudes that make us fear not knowing everything, as it is impossible to know everything, but that does not mean we are bad teachers.

Therefore, as I continue my journey as a teacher, I plan to do the following:

In the next 1–3 months, I plan on researching information about aspects of my teaching that I do not feel strongly confident in, to slowly work on changing my attitude towards each of them. This will be done through attending webinars about each of the concepts and observing how other teachers work in their classrooms.

In the next 6 to 12 months, I expect to identify my strengths in the classroom and the different contexts in which these exist to ensure I am taking advantage of what I am best at. I will achieve this through the use of self-reflection after every class I carry out and research with the help of books and online resources on the topic.

In the next year or two, I aim to have obtained various language and teaching certificates that will give me better professional opportunities.

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My name is Alonso and I’m currently a BA student in ELT. I had the opportunity to listen to the podcast "Education Focus 8: Service & Teacher Development" in my class and it was an enriching experience for me to learn deeper into my Continuous Professional Development (CPD). As it is the first time I’ve been introduced to this topic this was a perfect start to understand the importance of growing on a professional basis as a teacher.
For this podcast there were 3 aspects that really stuck into my head that I would love to share.
1.There are many ways in how CPD benefits teachers and students- The podcast mentioned several examples in which it benefits both teachers and students and the first one that I noticed was the significant improvement of reading skills. Teachers can improve on their classroom management and time management skills by continuing learning. As teachers keep learning, they are also developing better communication achievements and it starts boosting their confidence and motivation while they are learning about new teaching methods. Finally, teachers develop an ability to work collaboratively with others.
2. The challenges that teachers may encounter could be crucial for their CPD- Some of the challenges depend on the teachers but some of them are not for them to control. One of the ones that depends on the teacher is the motivation that they have towards learning and improving. It involves plenty of willingness to learn in order to not get demotivated and it only depends on the teacher’s aspiration. One factor that can’t be handled by teachers is the amount of information that they are receiving and in what period of time. Some schools prefer to give one or two input courses with a lot of information instead of doing small sessions with the intention of teachers digesting the information little by little.
In order to grow in my professional development, I am doing an action plan that will help me grow in my CPD.
Short-term (1-3 months):
Start getting some peer support and feedback. I am starting some practices and it is my opportunity to ask peers about my performance and some tips to improve.
Getting mentor help. As important as peer feedback is, being mentored by a professional will be the perfect way to learn from other points of view.
Medium-term (6-12 months):
Once I finish my studies I won’t stop here, I am planning on starting to look deep into articles and books that could keep me updated to new teaching methods.
Stay in contact with my peers to keep track of their projects and ideas. See their progress in their teaching and if they have any recommendations from their own experience.
Long-term (1-2 years):
Getting certifications like CELTA and DELTA are ambitious goals but very favorable for my CPD.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience in this podcast. I am looking forward to learning more techniques and strategies to my own professional development.
Best regards,
Alonso

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Hello! My name is Kesli, and I’m an aspiring English language teacher from Sinaloa, Mexico. I’ve just listened to the podcast “Education Focus 8: Service & Teacher Development,” and it truly opened my eyes to the broader concept of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Before listening, I’d only thought of CPD as mandatory workshops and certificates, but now I see that it’s a commitment to continually improve and evolve as educators.
Here are a few key takeaways from the podcast that really stood out to me:
1. Teacher collaboration is essential for growth – The podcast highlighted the importance of collaborating with colleagues to enhance our teaching practices. Whether it’s through mentoring, peer observations, or simply engaging in discussions with other teachers, sharing ideas and challenges helps build a stronger teaching community. I now realize how much I can benefit from reaching out to others in the profession to share resources and get feedback on my teaching.
2. CPD must be personalized and relevant – What I hadn’t considered before is how important it is to align CPD activities with our specific teaching contexts. The podcast emphasized that professional development should be relevant to the classroom challenges we face. For example, if classroom management is an area I struggle with, I should focus my CPD efforts there, rather than attending training that doesn’t directly apply to my teaching needs.
3. Reflection is a critical part of CPD – Reflecting on one’s teaching practice is another powerful aspect of CPD. I’ve learned that teachers who take the time to critically evaluate their own lessons and student interactions tend to grow much faster. I’ll definitely be starting a reflective journal to track my progress and identify areas for improvement. This will be a way for me to stay focused on my development and make conscious changes in my teaching style.
As I plan my own path for professional growth, I’m excited to start setting clear, achievable goals for CPD. In the short term (next 1-3 months), I’m planning to attend webinars on classroom management techniques, which I think will be crucial for managing diverse learners.
For the medium term (6-12 months), I’m going to dive deeper into differentiated instruction. I want to understand better how to cater to students with different learning needs, so I’ll be reading books and articles on the subject.
In the long-term (1-2 years), I plan to take a specialized course in ELT methodologies, focusing on task-based learning and communicative approaches, once I have more time. I believe this will give me a solid foundation in various teaching strategies that will improve how I design and implement lessons in the future.
This podcast has truly inspired me to approach my professional development in a more intentional and holistic way. I feel motivated to start this journey of continuous improvement and hope it helps me grow into a more confident, skilled teacher. Thank you for the valuable insights!
Best regards,
Kesli

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What an interesting insight into what Continuous Professional Development (CPD) involves! Hello, my name is Ana Cristina, and I am currently studying a degree focused on English Language Teaching (ELT). In the past, I have encountered distinct knowledge in regards to teaching practices and self-reflection. However, it was refreshing to listen to this podcast and learn about what CPD encompasses.

Some of the features that I found the most intriguing were teacher’s communication and confidence, or their lack thereof. Both of these are pivotal for language teachers. Imagine just how catastrophic it would be for students to misunderstand our instructions and input so frequently! And of course, confidence plays a fundamental role here. We need to let our students see that we are knowledgeable in our field and that we are a supportive guide in their language development; and in order to achieve this, it is incredibly important to continuously improve in what we do and develop our professionalism.

Furthermore, I loved hearing how it is also okay to accept that we are only humans and not super machines. It is important to not be seen as an authority who knows every single thing about English, for both students and us teachers. Learners should not feel intimidated and teachers should not feel this overwhelming pressure of “needing to know everything”. There definitely are more features that I enjoyed listening to but I think it’s best if I just wrap it up here.

As I mentioned before, this podcast was both thought-provoking and riveting, and since I plan on using this knowledge for my future teaching practices, I’d like to share a little of my goals.

First, I intend to attend online webinars related to the English Language Teaching field in order to continue learning the new trends that language teachers are using world-wide. In addition, I would like to request permission from different teachers to observe their lessons. I believe that this is one of the most effective techniques a novice teacher (like me) can follow. I expect to achieve these small goals in a time frame of 2-3 months approximately, so let’s hope for the best!

Second, I would like to read a variety of articles or books from experts in the field. Namely, articles related to grammar and vocabulary teaching. I consider these two to be my achilles heel when it comes to lesson delivery haha; therefore, it would be nice to learn more theory regarding them. Moreover, I would love to learn more classroom management techniques. They are crucial for language teaching and the more you practice, the better. I would like to accomplish these goals before the end of this year. However, I believe it would be even better if I continued doing the former and the latter throughout my whole career, not just during this year.

Last, I would like to take more certificates related to language teaching next year. I’m not currently familiar with many of them, but it is my goal to investigate them and enroll in some of them.

Thank you for the podcast, I’m looking forward to continuing developing my professionalism and knowledge in this field!

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Hello there I'm Sebastian, and I'm almost a graduate teacher from a BA in ELT program here in Mexico. After listening to the podcast on CPD in ELT, I've realized how crucial it is to actively invest time in my personal growth as a soon to be professional educator. Not that I wasn't aware that professional development was a thing only tied to CPD, but something teachers did to grow professionally to meet the standards that a professional teacher should meet. The podcast has brought me a new way of understanding that it's not only about growing professionally to keep being competitive in this field but to understand that this journey is about building me as person and teacher to enhance what do I do in my practice and most importantly, the students who will be learning from what I have to teach them.

Takeaways from the podcast:

CPD is versatile and accessible. It’s not limited to structured courses but includes everyday activities like peer discussions, reflective journaling, or exploring ELT blogs. This flexibility makes it easier to integrate CPD into a busy schedule and that is great thing for us teachers who sometimes are short on time.

The Impact it has on students. Effective CPD doesn’t just benefit teachers—it directly improves learner engagement and outcomes by introducing fresh strategies tailored to diverse classroom needs.

It can be challenging but manageable. While time constraints and institutional support can be barriers, proactive planning and leveraging free/low-cost resources (e.g., webinars, peer networks) can make CPD achievable.

What I have planned to do in the following months
To translate these insights into action, I’ve created a structured CPD plan focusing on short-, medium-, and long-term goals:

Short-Term (1–3 months):
Attend webinars on technology in ELT
I'll be looking for webinars about using digital tools to boost interactivity in online classes—a skill I need to develop for not only using in the physical classroom, but possibly the online one too.

Start a reflective journal
I’ll document weekly teaching experiences, noting successes and areas to improve.

Medium-Term (6–12 months):

Complete an online course on inclusive teaching practices
In this day an age, I need to know how to approach and communicate with students with different needs than the usual, that's why I need to improve on this sector to become a better teacher.

Organize a peer observation
I’ll collaborate with a colleague to observe each other’s classes and exchange feedback.

Long-Term (1–2 years):

Pursue a CELTA certification
This advanced qualification will deepen my understanding of ELT methodologies and position me for beating teaching opportunities.

Become a mentor
I aim to guide novice teachers by sharing strategies and resources, contributing to a culture of collaborative CPD in the far but possible future.

Final Thoughts:
This podcast has inspired me to view CPD as a lifelong commitment rather than a checklist. By starting small and staying consistent, I’m confident I can grow into a more reflective, adaptable, and impactful teacher. As you may seen in other posts too, we are a full class share our thoughts on CPD, so do not be afraid to see all these posts following a similar format on this topic, haha.

Cheers!
Sebastian

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Hi there,
I’m Anel, an English teacher in Mexico. I just finished listening to the podcast eduaction focus service and teacher development.

I’ve reflected on embracing not knowing everything as a key part of lesson planning.. I used to think being a teacher meant mostly having the answers, but this podcast made me realize that allowing uncertainty can actually improve my teaching and students’ learning.

Some aspects I found interesting were:
Not knowing everything is part of growth: I’ve sometimes felt pressure to have all the answers, but the speakers emphasized that teachers don’t need to be walking encyclopedias and, I’ve noticed that students engage more when they see me thinking critically rather than just giving immediate answers.

Being comfortable with uncertainty helps lesson planning, the podcast highlighted that flexibility is essential. I need to be okay with moments of uncertainty in my lessons and see them as opportunities for deeper discussions rather than as failures in my planning.

Here are some ways I plan to implement these ideas:

• Experiment with more open-ended questions in assessments to encourage critical thinking.

• Start acknowledging when I don’t know something instead of feeling pressured to give an immediate answer.

• Observe how other teachers handle uncertainty in their classrooms and incorporate their techniques.

This podcast gave me a new perspective on teaching, and I’m excited to implement these changes.

Thank you!
Anel

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Hello!
I’m Daniel, and I’m an almost certified English teacher based in México. I’ve just finished listening to the podcast “Education Focus 8: Service & Teacher Development,”. This is the first time I’m learning about Continuous Professional Development (CPD). I hadn't considered CPD beyond the required workshops and occasional webinars. This podcast made me realize the many options available for teachers to continue growing in our careers.
Some takeaways I found interesting were:
1. CPD has to be continuous – I am used to just waiting for webinars or workshops to be available for me to work on my professional development. The speakers suggested that continuous input from mentors and peers would help consistently improve my lessons. I agree, I remember we did something similar during CELTA. Another way to develop professionally is to listen to podcasts or read articles, though I prefer receiving feedback on my work.
2. Schools sometimes don’t provide enough CPD – I used to think that occasional courses were sufficient for professional development. However, listening to this podcast highlighted that schools could do more to support teacher development. My school only offers workshops at the start of each semester, but I’d like additional workshops and follow-up meetings.
3. CPD should be explicitly planned long term – I’ve had a vague idea of how to improve as a teacher but never put it into words. I should be more proactive in seeking workshops, peer reviews, and webinars, and I’ll create an action plan to guide my improvements.
Here are some plans:
Short-term (1-3 months):
• Attend a workshop at my school on lesson planning; it's one of those I mentioned, and I could use some tips.
• I will take an IELTS course and exam for graduation and enhance my resume, potentially opening job opportunities.
Medium-term (6-12 months):
• Ask coworkers to observe my classes and give me feedback and vice versa. I am not sure how many teachers would help me with that but it’s worth a shot.
• Get a position as a teacher’s aide to help around classes while observing other teachers' work.
Long-term (1-2 years):
• Take a TKT when I have the time, I heard you learn a lot from them even if you don’t pass.
• Take a teacher talk or classroom management course. I think I can improve the way I talk as a teacher. Especially my intonation.
I appreciate the podcast, and I am looking forward to executing my action plan and incorporating new ideas into my class and school.
Thank you again!
Daniel

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Focus on professional development is uniquely addressed in the course modules and it is a praiseworthy effort of the British Council intellectual team, I am so impressed with their research and knowledge shared to all teachers as great expertise. All the relevant areas do convey a positive ambience in order to pave the way in inculcating the passion of teaching with these distinguish techniques and methodologies. This is growth to all teachers across the globe .My heartfelt sincere thanks and blessings to all who dedicated their expertise and precious time. Brilliant intellects with extra ordinary talents ! thanks immensely, Fiona Rodrigo

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