Professionalising English Language Teaching

Andrzej Cirocki is Associate Professor in English Language Education at the University of York in England and Adjunct Professor in English Language Teaching at Universitas Negeri Surabaya in Indonesia. His recent publications include Current Perspectives on the TESOL Practicum (with Madyarov and Baecher, 2019) and Continuing Professional Development of TESOL Practitioners (with Farrelly and Buchanan, 2023).

The issue of professionalisation of English Language Teaching (ELT) remains underexplored in academic discourse. Written by experienced teacher educators, this book presents a timely guide to professional teacher development in ELT, showing how teacher educators and classroom practitioners can develop their practice. It scrutinises key topic areas for teacher education, detailing the specific competences that professional teachers need to demonstrate in the 21st century, including transforming English language classrooms, engaging in ongoing debates that examine theory, research and practice, responding to managerial and policy discourses on English language instruction, and playing a leading role in regulating the entire teaching profession. It highlights how meaningful, impactful, transformative, and sustainable language education requires high-quality teachers who are lifelong learners, classroom ethnographers, and educational leaders. It is essential reading for pre- and in-service teachers, teacher educators and professional development providers, educational researchers, as well as policy makers in the field of ELT.

List of Tables; List of Figures; Acknowledgements; 1. English Language Teaching in the 21st Century: A Systematic Approach to the Profession; 2. Conceptualising Teacher Professionalism in ELT; 3. Teacher Education and Professional Competences; 4. Reflective Practice and Teacher-Led Research: The Path to Teacher Professionalism; 5. Teacher Autonomy: The Professional Independence of Teachers; 6. Materials Development and Task Design: A Professional Challenge; 7. Teaching English in the Digital Age: Professional and Cultural Intricacies; 8. Teacher Leadership: Reinforcing Professional Practice in Schools; Building Professional ELT Development Communities; References; Index.