ELTWeekly Vol. 4 Issue#37 | September 10, 2012 | ISSN 0975-3036
Melissa Miller is blogger and freelance writer for associatedegreeonline.com. She is interested in all things education and writes to help recent college graduates navigate the challenging world of first-time employment, adult responsibility, and finances. Throw your questions to melissamiller831@gmail.com.
A little over 5 years ago, the New York Times stated that approximately one fourth of the world’s population communicates in English to some degree. It also went onto say that around 80 % of the world’s digital information is stored in English—further proving the language’s global dominance.
Scholars and linguists have noted and discussed its proliferation across the globe at length, coming to just one main conclusion—English seems to be here to stay. It’s present in everything from everyday conversation to commerce. That being said, it’s no wonder that the field of English language teaching is one that is both important and in high demand.
Being in charge of imparting such a vital skill on people, English-language teachers must continually grow and challenge themselves as educators. They must develop and learn new ways to engage their students. Luckily, there are several professional development options for them from which to choose to aid the overall process. Below are just some of the courses and programs helping this mission.
The British Council
The British Council offers Teacher Training Workshops which cover a wide-range of topics from pursuing certification to perfecting methodology and approach in the classroom.
Serving as a space where professionals can swap and share ideas openly, these courses are all about increasing the effectiveness of teachers far and wide. While the teachers may be receiving the direct instruction and guidance, their students are the ones who really benefit as these programs take the time to perfect the educational experience overall.
There are centers across the Middle East including in countries such as Kuwait and Yemen, so if you happen to be stationed there, see what your local chapter has to offer, you never know what you might learn.
TESOL
The international group TESOL, which stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, has an annual convention in which educators from across the globe gather to share stories, experiences and ideas for improving their skills. Before, during and after the convention, courses and workshops are offered for those wanting to learn more about everything from teaching pronunciation to incorporating story analysis into lesson plans.
Pretty much, if you have a specific weakness or area you’d like to learn more about, chances are you’ll find a course on it there. 2012’s event has already passed, but plans are already well underway for 2013.
Overall, TESOL offers professional English teachers several resources and opportunities to grow as an educator—they just have to take advantage of them!
There are more specific organizations such as the Japan Association of College English Teachers, which helps educators grow, connect and improve on a more regional level. You might even consider searching for one in your area.
If nothing else, these opportunities serve as reminders that none of us are ever really done learning—we are perpetual students of life, and should embrace that.
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