Becoming a teacher: beyond training

Who is this webinar for?

Please note that the content of this webinar is tailored for teacher educators and teachers who are engaged in facilitating the professional development of others.

What is this webinar about?

In a recent discussion, a teacher made this comment, 'Now that I’ve finished my teacher training, I know how to teach. But I still don’t know how to be a teacher.' This webinar is in part a response to that comment, which goes to the heart of teacher education.

Alan Maley, involved in language education for over 60 years, discusses the results of an informal, unpublished inquiry where experienced teachers were asked to recall a teacher from their past who they had particularly admired, liked and respected. They were asked to list the factors which led them to this conclusion. Overwhelmingly, it was personal qualities which dominated – of the five main characteristics only one referred to professional expertise.

Alan suggests that acquisition or developing these human characteristics is not susceptible to formal training and suggests a number of possible ways teacher educators can help teachers to acquire indirectly some of what seem to be desirable qualities – activities teachers can do alone and activities they can do with the support of others.

When?

Recorded on Tuesday 14 May 2024, 12.00 - 13.15 (UK time). 

About the speaker

Alan Maley has been involved in language education for over 60 years. He worked for the British Council from 1962–1988, as English Language Officer in Yugoslavia, Ghana, Italy, France and China, and as Director S. India, Madras. He was Director of The Bell Educational Trust, Cambridge from 1988–93, then Senior Fellow at the National University, Singapore from 1993–1998, and Dean of the Institute for English Language Education, Assumption University, Bangkok, 1999–2004. He has published over 50 books and numerous articles. His main interests are in creative methodology, teacher education and ecological approaches to language learning as an agent of change. He is now actively retired.

Supporting material for this webinar

Pre-webinar reading

Find out more about our webinar theme with our suggested pre-reading:

1. Maley, A. (ed.) (2019) Developing expertise through experience. London: British Council. Read the introduction (pp 8-13) and choose any chapter!
2. 'The Power of Personal Experience' 

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