#ELTCHAT 3 June 2015 Career Development in ELT

Career Development in ELT
I was prompted to propose this topic for #eltchat because I wondered whether ELT professionals see certain types of teaching as being more prestigious or developmental as others. I was also keen to find out whether there is an established and universal career trajectory within ELT which transcended all teaching contexts. My interest in this is partly personal in that I can identify my own path in this field but find that the times I talk about the decisions I took and why appear to be limited and indeed reducing. It seems to me that having an opportunity to share the different routes we took towards developing our careers could be of some interest to relatively new members of our community.
On analysis of the exchange which took place in June 2015, a number of key points emerged:

1. Willingness to keep learning , trying different roles;
joannacre 6/3/2015 20:15 @fielsted @juliacphang Yes, and being willing to learn. Not rest on ur laurels!! #eltchat
KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:15 @joannacre @HanaHainsworth yes think first step is teaching different types of classes:yl, business,exam,diff levels #ELTchat

BradELT 6/3/2015 20:19 @angelos_bollas no 🙂 also staying fresh- The world keeps changing- As teachers we need to be aware of innovations in our field- #eltchat

MartinaEmke 6/3/2015 20:23 @angelos_bollas @KateLloyd05 – diversification by adopting different roles: e.g. (informal) teacher trainer, (action) researcher #ELTchat

MartinaEmke 6/3/2015 20:26 @HanaHainsworth – it’s about attitude: teachers should stay learners at heart; then lots of development opport. are possible #eltchat

2. Willingness to take opportunities as they arise
languageeteach 6/3/2015 20:26 @MartinaEmke @angelos_bollas @KateLloyd05 and grabbing those opportunities when you can, e.g. writing for journals, presenting, etc #Eltchat
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:28 @languageeteach @MartinaEmke @angelos_bollas @KateLloyd05 Yeah ‘grabbing opportunities’ -quite right. Being able to see the ops too #eltchat

3. Being flexible
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:18 @MarjorieRosenbe @joannacre @HanaHainsworth Seems to me being ‘flexible’ and willing goes a long way in the ELT world. #eltchat
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:24 @angelos_bollas @MarjorieRosenbe @joannacre @HanaHainsworth (3) Being willing to have a go you save the situation+ show versatility #eltchat

4. Joining professional organisations;
MarjorieRosenbe 6/3/2015 20:08 @angelos_bollas I think joining a teaching association is a great 1st step. #eltchat

5. Movement into academic management which frequently involves a concomitant reduction in teaching contact time;
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:14 @juliacphang To progress career wise do we have to move into ac management? #eltchat
KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:16 @fielsted @juliacphang you shouldn’t have to…..but it’s often assumed once you do a Dip #ELTchat

juliacphang 6/3/2015 20:23 I’ve talkd abt this w/several T friends-moving “too far up the ladder” in terms of mgmt generally means you’re rarely in classroom #ELTchat

6. Willingness to change to a different environment for better conditions and opportunities
KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:17 @angelos_bollas change teaching situation? Better terms and conditions, more prof environment? #eltchat

7. The existence of a number of different career paths in ELT and different attitudes to them:
angelos_bollas 6/3/2015 20:19 @KateLloyd05 So, are there two paths? A horizontal (same role better post) and a vertical one (going up the career ladder)? #ELTchat
KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:19 @angelos_bollas lots of ladders I think #ELTchat

KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:32 @angelos_bollas @BradELT diff. types of teachers.some like to stay in one place long term, others move regularly #ELTchat

racheldaw18 6/3/2015 20:46 @juliacphang I was wondering what happens in #elt land if being a DoS isn’t where someone wants to go… Good question! #eltchat

tattoodaisy 6/3/2015 20:49 @angelos_bollas a sideways step is possible, into a diff enviro, university rather than private language school, teacher training #eltchat

8. The different perception of what is meant by ‘career development’ with some participants being focussed on the development as a teacher and others on the progression to better pay, conditions and more responsibility
juliacphang 6/3/2015 20:20 RT @stella_maris05: @angelos_bollas Still they can develop by exchanging ideas with colleagues, or attending conferences #ELTchat

HadaLitim 6/3/2015 20:20 @BradELT @angelos_bollas It’s a never ending development path it seems..from one course to the next. one obs to the next, etc #ELTchat

HanaHainsworth 6/3/2015 20:22 It’s about aiming for 10 yrs teaching experience not 1 year teaching experience repeated 10 times! #eltchat

angelos_bollas 6/3/2015 20:20 @HadaLitim Reflection – important part of career dvlpmnt #ELTchat @juliacphang

9. The differences according to context
tattoodaisy 6/3/2015 20:22 career dev important because jobs in uk are becomer rarer and more competitive -what’s it like elsewhere? #eltchat
HanaHainsworth 6/3/2015 20:38 I think unis are probably the way to go for pay and conditions in the UK if you can get in #ELTchat

fielsted 6/3/2015 20:42 @angelos_bollas @HanaHainsworth Do ELT Ts see EAP teaching in uni as career development? Does it seem ‘better’ somehow? #eltchat
angelos_bollas 6/3/2015 20:43 @fielsted For me it’s just better money #ELTchat @HanaHainsworth

HadaLitim 6/3/2015 20:46 @tattoodaisy @KateLloyd05 MA certainly offers more ops in the Middle East and better packages too #eltchat

angelos_bollas 6/3/2015 20:54 @fielsted In some cases (like Greece) being an ELT means you’re doing a hobby not a real job #ELTchat @BradELT @HanaHainsworth

10. Help from other people
joannacre 6/3/2015 20:29 @HadaLitim I am going to ask a hard question. Do u think career dev has to do with who u know as well? #eltchat

fielsted 6/3/2015 20:36 @angelos_bollas I think this is true. The more teachers in diff contexts you encounter the more you develop #eltchat

joannacre 6/3/2015 20:32 @HadaLitim It’s not necessarily a bad thing. U learn about jobs from ur ppl don’t you? #eltchat

11. Individual career stories
MartinaEmke 6/3/2015 20:34 @juliacphang @joannacre – I moved from teaching 2 teacher training, project management & 2 becom. a researcher;roots are in ELT #eltchat

KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:53 @HadaLitim fell into elt,tesol cert.primary school, language schools,EAP,became senior teacher&needed Dip to progress.1/2 #ELTchat
KateLloyd05 6/3/2015 20:54 @HadaLitim now dos in language school.boyf doing delta now so we can move on and have better options.#eltchat 2/2

juliacphang 6/3/2015 20:54 @angelos_bollas @tattoodaisy Definitely! I initially did it when moving around for husband’s job #ELTchat

BradELT 6/3/2015 20:54 @HadaLitim Started teacher training 5 years ago and then added writing and consulting. Love life now.something different everyday! #ELTchat

fielsted 6/3/2015 20:55 My career story: Japan-EFL teaching and YLs + did CELTA. Did DELTA in UK. Went to Australia did Exam classes + IELTS. (1) #eltchat
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:57 (2) Canada became CELTA trainer; Oz again CELTA trainer and DOS.UK CELTA trainer Ac Manager.Then Uni Presessional now uni lecturer #eltchat
fielsted 6/3/2015 20:57 (3) became DELTA trainer in UK too. Helped. #eltchat

HanaHainsworth 6/3/2015 20:55 @HadaLitim for me 4 years teaching YL and GE all over the world,then EAP(pre sess)now Delta&MA and not sure what next – a holiday! #ELTchat

languageeteach 6/3/2015 20:57 @racheldaw18 @HadaLitim 1st step into teacher training = training Czech teachers of Russian with English and methodology. Loved it! #eltchat

joannacre 6/3/2015 20:57 @HadaLitim @KateLloyd05 Me public sector-private sector-EAP-online BE #eltchat

juliacphang 6/3/2015 20:58 @HadaLitim Trinity Cert, 2 years teaching at school I trained at, 2 years freelance in BCN, now freelance near Manchester #ELTchat

HadaLitim 6/3/2015 21:02 @angelos_bollas YLs in London for 3 yrs, int’l school GCSEs in Saudi for 6 years, adults at the BC for 8yrs, Celta, Delta, MA..#ELTchat

P is for Power

An A-Z of ELT

What about ‘The English Woman’? Or ‘The Non-English Man’? (Language school in Barcelona)

The recent IATEFL Conference at Manchester has been generating quite a bit of heat on the social networks on issues that, to my way of thinking, relate to questions of power: specifically, who has it? who ought to have it? and who has earned it?

For example, in their presentation on the alleged invisibility of women in ELT, Nicola Prentis and Russell Mayne suggested that the predominance of a clique of (not quite) dead white males in ELT (all named and shamed!) has effectively blocked access to opportunities for aspiring writers and presenters, especially women. (I wasn’t there so I’m simply inferring the gist from what I’ve been reading on Facebook – I’m prepared to be corrected). Their concern echoes that of the Fair List, an initiative to encourage a higher profile for women speakers at…

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What is required to teach EAP?

Teaching EAP

This guest post is by Gemma Campion – currently a colleague at Nottingham. We co-wrote a chapter on teacher education and development for the Routledge Handbook of EAP which is due to be published later this year. Gemma won the BALEAP MA dissertation award in 2012 ‘‘The learning never ends’ Investigating teachers’ experiences of moving from English for General Purposes to English for Academic Purposes in the UK context; What are the main challenges associated with beginning to teach EAP, and how can these challenges be overcome?’”

Since my days as an ESOL teacher, deciding to study an MA with some vague sense that it would help me get into EAP, I have always been interested in how it is that one becomes an EAP practitioner, perhaps particularly because of the apparent mystery that seems to surround it. As an outsider to the profession I had a sense that…

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On being observed

I’ve just finished reading @sophiakhan4 talking about a ‘bad’ observation she had some time ago which had a hugely successful outcome eventually. She asks at the end whether any readers have experienced any ‘eye-opening moments’ from observations. It’s an interesting question.

My own relationship with observations is complicated. Observing others on initial teacher training courses and as part of DOS duties was a typical part of most weeks for a decade of my ELT career. Of all the facets of teacher training I will admit to observations being my absolute favourite. Being good at observing requires great skill in dealing with people and responding to their needs at a given moment and being capable of giving a necessary, yet at times unwelcome message in a way which the listener can ‘hear’. I enjoyed the flexibility of approach required and the creativity necessary to deliver the message clearly and meaningfully. I love the fact that in explaining what went well a passion for teaching can be reignited in the observer as well as the observed. I appreciated the fact that I could guide a teacher towards growing more confident and more effective. It has always been a privilege to observe a teacher at work. It’s special.

Do I like to be observed myself? Heck no! In many ways I detest it. Every time I’m going to be observed I get majorly stressed. It hasn’t got better as I’ve got older and more experienced –it’s got worse. There’s a balance, as @sophiakhan4 pointed out, in the early stages it is difficult to ignore the suspicion that a poor observation might cost you your job but being a new teacher, you feel there is an expectation that there is still a way to go on the teaching front. As you get more experienced then the fear changes to being assessed by your peers and possibly not coming up to the standard they hold of you. Add the fact that you yourself are a CELTA trainer and spend a lot of time telling others how to do it and so really ought to be the bees knees in the classroom (!) and the potential stress goes through the roof.

There are positives though. For me, sitting down and writing a proper full lesson plan is an enjoyable activity. Having to articulate how and why I am intending to teach in a particular way is both creative and intellectual. It’s also fantastically grounding.

Then there’s the opportunity to learn from a colleague and discuss why we do the things we do (or don’t do) in class. That doesn’t happen every day for me and so I know the value. A different perspective is always enlightening and enlivening. Even having a difference of opinions and being able to express your views on something so personal can be deeply satisfying.

Observation can act as a spur to teach differently or find out about a new methodology or experiment with a new technique. It allows us to take stock, breathe, talk it out, and go back in for more possibly in a slightly altered or realigned way. In fact it can be the teacher equivalent of a visit to the bike doctor. Last time I went there, I got my brakes checked, the tyres pumped up, a new chain with lots of lovely oil on it and a new clip that kept the pedals together. I didn’t even realise there was something wrong with that but now it’s been changed it works like a dream. While I was there I decided to get a mud guard for the front wheel too. I could live without it but it means I don’t have to avoid the puddles anymore. Next time I’m going to get a nice new bell. Observation can help us by: reaffirming the things we do well (the brakes); tightening procedure on those aspects of our teaching we sometimes let slip (the tyres); pointing out where something is not quite right that could be causing a problem you hadn’t considered (the clip between the pedals); and encouraging us to make changes or additions instead of just sticking with the old tried and tested (the mudguard). The nice snazzy bell, well you know what that is.

So I guess in answer to @sophiekhan4’s question, observation has been eye-opening in itself. As uncomfortable as I may find it, there is always something of value that comes out.

Reflections on Reflection

Reflection is what it’s all about, isn’t it? From our earliest novice teacher trainee days we are asked to reflect. Reflect on our own lessons; reflect on the lessons of others; reflect on feedback received. Reflection in this formal assessed way is seen as the outward sign of a teacher who thinks about what they do and tries to improve.

I don’t have anything against reflection but I do long for the less formalised form of reflection of my earlier career. Now I do a bit of ELT and a bit of EAP; a smidge of teacher training; a dab of academic skills-a kind of English language allsorts. I do that teaching and then, generally speaking, go back to my office. My reflection is quiet and internalised for the most part and has no real element of collaboration in it. At times I may be asked to offer more formal reflection following an observation or as part of a development course but such situations are relatively rare.

In the old days it wasn’t like that. Back then every day was a collaborative reflective event. Language schools are great places to work because you all start and finish teaching at the same time. So everyone gathers together between classes and at the beginning and end of the day. One effect of this is the spontaneous, unselfconscious reflection on classes, crucial to teacher development, which takes place. The opportunity to talk about what just went well or badly in class or to overhear someone else discussing that. The chance to talk about why a task might have gone wrong and how I could change it next time. Benefitting from colleagues passing on their material and doing so generously and without fanfare. Enjoying the comfort and security of knowing that if I have a query about something I’m teaching, I could ask someone else’s opinion and we could bounce it around.

Shared spaces for teachers and coinciding ‘off’ time are essential for teacher development. I want to be sharing ideas with those less and more experienced than me. I want to be an informal mentor and have one myself without even really being aware of it. I want my reflection to be part and parcel of being a member of a community of teachers.

Once upon a time I had all of this but it seems that as my career has progressed, the opportunities for ‘collaborative, spontaneous reflection’ have diminished. My firm intention now is to try to arrange my teaching life such that I regain it because like so much that is priceless, you just don’t realise what you have until it’s gone.