Developing Teacher Cognitions: Maximising the Impact of In-service CPD courses

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Summary

Evidence suggests that transferring learning from in-service teacher education courses to teachers’ specific teaching contexts can be problematic. This presentation explores this point and views the issue through the lens of teacher cognitions (Baker 2014; Borg 2015), helping identify potential areas for teachers’ knowledge and skills development. Recognising that teacher learning is more than just being able to use a ‘tool-kit’ of tasks and activities, this presentation will show how resource analysis (including resource evaluation, adaption and creation) can be a vehicle to help teachers learn more about their context and also their beliefs and practices. The presentation will then report on an impact study jointly conducted by NILE and Trinity that explores the impact of teacher development courses that use Trinity College London’s Certificate for Practising Teachers (CertPT) as a developmental assessment tool to meet teachers’ professional needs.

Using data analysed from participant pre- and post-course interviews, I will present data that gives detail about how the CertPT’s four assessment tasks provide lasting impact. This will be supplemented by data collected from NILE’s teacher educators involved in the CertPT, enabling a different perspective on how assessment affects learning and practice following in-service professional development.

This presentation will be relevant to all those involved in teacher education programmes as it provides a fresh way to view teachers’ in-service development, recognising the importance of teacher cognitions and materials use and development as a vehicle for ongoing professional development.

References: Baker, A. (2014). Exploring teachers' knowledge of second language pronunciation techniques: Teacher cognitions, observed classroom practices, and student perceptions. Tesol Quarterly, 48(1), 136-163. Borg, S. (2015). Teacher cognition and language education: Research and practice. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

About the presenter

The presenter, Ben Beaumont is Head of Teacher Education at Trinity College, London, and oversees the pedagogical support and teacher qualifications offered to teachers across a range of localised teaching contexts. Having worked across state and private educational sectors, Ben is keen to share learning and research that is focussed on providing contextualised language and resource development that enables teachers to create a classroom environment that maximises learning.