Articles

Reflective teaching means looking at what you do in the classroom, thinking about why you do it, and thinking about if it works - a process of self-observation and self-evaluation.

All academic institutions have to demonstrate their commitment to providing effective teaching. Peer observation has an important part to play in this process.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to go to quite a few face-to-face conferences every year, generally as a speaker, though I also attend as many sessions as I can at each event - there's always something to learn from any speaker, no matter how experienced they are.

Lifelong learning and continuous professional development in my opinion are much the same thing.

Which voices do you hear in the course of your professional life, as you prepare, teach and reflect? Which ones are the strongest? Which do you really listen to and take notice of?

Over my years of learning, teaching and training I have become increasingly aware of the impact that teachers can and often do have on our learners, and their attitudes to English. Affective factors, such as attitude and self-esteem, are well known to have a profound effect on learners’ motivation and ultimately on their success or failure in learning.

Who were your favourite teachers at school or college?

Here is a selection of top tips to help teachers of English develop their professional competence. They cover issues of professional conduct, strategies for dealing with students and their language production, the importance of meaningful communication and the example the teacher sets. This is the second of two such articles.