February 2024
PD Update
The latest Professional Development events and news from English Australia
Upcoming PD Events
IELTS Teacher Training workshop
Online: 13 February at 7.30pm (AEDT)
In the next free IELTS Teacher Training workshop, a Cambridge University Press (CUP) expert, Greg Archer, will show how teachers can form an input/output partnership in IELTS Reading and Writing. Attendees will learn teaching techniques and classroom strategies and receive a virtual certificate and badge.
Regulatory Changes Updates
Webinar: 20 February at 4.00pm-5.00pm (AEDT)
This is a free virtual Member Q&A session on the high number of regulatory changes and government inquiries underway that impact the ELICOS sector. It will provide clarification to members where it can and gather member input to guide its representation of member interests in advocacy efforts.
Optimising developmental teacher observations: Ensuring a productive and positive process
Online: 28 February at 3.30pm-4.15pm (AEDT)
Presented by The Queensland Institute, this webinar aims to provide insights and practical guidance for academic managers and other staff who conduct classroom observations. It will also explore practical examples of common teacher-observer interactions along with strategies to manage these constructively.
Assessment SIG Staffroom Table: Goodbye to the Research Essay?
Online: 5 March at 4.00pm-5.00pm (AEDT)
As language assessment teams grapple with the wonder and woe of generative artificial intelligence, the continued inclusion of an old stock standard, the research essay, is under review. Join us for a robust discussion on program design for direct entry programs and specifically what colleges are using to replace the research essay.
Setting your PD goals for 2024: Self-directed learning
With 2024 well underway, many teachers will be looking to set their professional learning goals for the year. In addition to participating in in-house professional development (PD) sessions at their college, we suggest that teachers set an agenda of self-directed, individualised learning. This approach recognizes the diverse professional backgrounds, skills and teaching contexts of ELICOS teachers and makes learning more meaningful and relevant.
One way to support teachers with their self-directed professional development is to follow the steps in the English Australia CPD Framework. These steps guide teachers through identifying their PD needs and goals, selecting and completing PD activities, reflecting on their learning, and experimenting with and sharing new ideas.
Step 1: Determine PD needs
There are a range of ways teachers can determine their PD needs in order to set their PD goals. Examples of these include:
- self-assessing their needs using the English Australia CPD Framework of teaching competencies and English Australia self-assessment tool within the CPD Portal
- considering recent observation feedback
- reflecting on their challenges or insecurities in the classroom
- reflecting on aspects of their teaching where they may feel stuck in a rut
- examining teaching innovations or ELT buzz words that may be unfamiliar.
Step 2: Select PD activity
For self-directed PD, there are a huge range of activities teachers can choose from depending on their access to resources and their learning preferences. Below are some examples of how teachers may like to undertake their self-directed PD.
Step 3: Undertake and record PD activities
Teachers are encouraged to record their PD activities, reflect on new learnings and make plans to experiment with these. For teachers who complete courses on the English Australia CPD Portal and attend English Australia webinars and events, statements of completion/attendance are automatically collated in the teacher’s portfolio within the CPD Portal.
Step 4: Reflect, discuss, experiment, share
Teachers reflect on PD activities undertaken, discuss these activities with peers, plan to experiment with new learnings in the classroom and share this experimentation with others. The value in discussing learnings with colleagues cannot be understated – it fosters depth of perspective, connection and critical thinking.
If you’d like to read more about self-directed learning and setting professional goals, you could look at this excellent resource from Oxford University Press (it can be downloaded free from this link): Mercer, S., Farrell, C., & Freeman, D. (2022). Self-directed professional development in ELT [PDF]. Oxford University Press. Another useful resource is the AITSL High Quality Professional Learning Cycle.
If you’re interested in the English Australia Head of Professional Development delivering a workshop to your staff about self-directed professional development, please email Sophie O’Keefe, Head of Professional Development, at sophieokeefe@englishaustralia.com.au.
Key dates for your diaries
Please add these dates for our major events in 2024 to your diaries. In addition, we always add all other webinars, SIG events and workshops to our English Australia Events webpage as they are approaching throughout the year.
Has someone forwarded you this email? You can sign up for our PD news by emailing Anthony at easec@englishaustralia.com.au.
Please send your questions, comments or suggestions about the English Australia Professional Development Program to Sophie, Head of Professional Development at English Australia.
