English Teachers’ Perceptions of the In-Service Teacher Training: A Case Study of a Private Language School Program in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Hsueh-Fen Chen, 陳雪芬
• Other Authors: Su-Hwei Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/23917768541588664061

碩士 === 國立屏東商業技術學院 === 應用英語系(所) === 99 === In recent years, research into teacher training has become very important in Taiwan. However the research has paid scant attention to the issue in the context of chain supplementary English schools (SESs), such as Happy supplementary English schools (fictitious name). This context is important, because in Taiwan most primary school students continue their English educations after school at an SES. Therefore, this study focuses on the teacher training programs of the Happy chain of supplementary English schools. The data were collected from one hundred twenty-six responses by English teachers to a questionnaire distributed to Happy English SESs in Southern Taiwan; the research also included follow-up interviews with three Happy English teachers who have first hand experience with the school’s training programs. In particular, this study addresses the following research questions: (1)What are the Happy SES teachers perceptions of the Happy SES training program? (2)What can the teachers learn from the Happy English teacher training program? (3) Do the in-service teachers’ attitudes affect their teaching performance after attending in-service teacher training programs? The results show that Happy English cares about their English teachers’ backgrounds; Happy English stresses the benefits of its teacher training program; Happy English teachers have positive attitudes toward the teacher training program; the Happy English program lacks units in self-development and professional development; and the Happy English program does not offer enough opportunities for teachers to share their experiences and knowledge. The findings of this study reveal the following implications with respect to English teachers, SES employers, and teacher trainers, respectively: (a) English teachers should have opportunities to attend teacher training programs where they can not only develop their skills but also learn how to apply teaching theories in actual or simulated teaching situations; (b) SES employers should also start to pay more attention to their teachers’ educational backgrounds and further training; and; (c) the teacher trainer plays an important role in making sure a training program meets these goals by giving support to and guiding the teaching experiences of novice or prospective teachers. In addition, teacher trainers should try to give their trainees as much opportunity as possible to understand actual teaching situations, while offering their trainees timely support and assistance. This study concludes with recommendations for future research in the field of SES teacher training and development. Key words: teacher training, teacher development, teacher training program