In this article, the author describes her preparations for the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) professional presentations in Haiti. As a cultural worker, (after Paulo Freire), she was very conscious of the need for care in working with "the Other" especially when the Other is known only from second hand…

In this article, the author discusses issues that have seemed most fundamental--yet perplexing because they are not well or widely understood--for the students who usually take his masters-level course called Second-Language Assessment. These master's students are experienced teachers, mostly of English, but also of other languages such as French…

Lorenza Lara, Secondary Literacy Coordinator for the Denver (CO) Public Schools, specializes in secondary English Learner (EL) education. According to Lorenza, EL research has shown that educators often confuse youths' regular development in a second language with literacy difficulties. This research also has demonstrated the individuality of…

Examines the diversity of concepts about teacher development, which varies in form and meaning depending upon contexts and value bases, and attempts to discover an underlying common core. The focus is on the development of self-awareness on which practical models for teacher development can be built. (14 references) (JL)

A stock-taking of the current status of the foreign language teaching profession, which is faced with many challenges, should influence the individual foreign language educator to resolve to focus attention on promotional or rejuvenating activities in the political, public, and professional spheres. Attention should above all be paid to bringing…

Suggests that English-as-a-Second/Foreign-Language (ESL/EFL) program administrators work together to make professional development a priority for ESL/EFL teachers. Discusses a professional development philosophy and strategies for meeting professional development needs. (Author/VWL)

Describes the origin and rationale of the California Foreign Language Project, a professional development project designed to improve and expand foreign language teaching in California while promoting access and equity within educational institutions for every student. (Author/VWL)

A survey of the Language Program Coordinator (LPC) role in higher education deals with conditions of employment, professional training, support for professional development and research, the nature of the LPC's responsibilities, his or her relationship to other members of language departments, and professional status. (17 references) (CP)

Offers seven steps practicing English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers can take to create a strong professional identity: become an articulate ESL spokesperson, collaborate with a mainstream teacher or content-area teacher, be a learner as well as a teacher, take a pro-active stance on ESL issues, become an active member of your state TESL…

An English-as-a-Second-Language teacher makes a case for do-it-yourself professional development. (Author/VWL)

This article discusses the unique situation of foreign language teachers in public schools and the programs that prepare these teachers. It is argued that generic teacher education programs inadequately speak to the needs of future foreign-language teachers and that conventional inservice programs offer little. Recommendations are offered. (MT)

This chapter discusses the dilemma of trying to provide professional development opportunities to teaching staff members who populate radically different conceptual spaces vis-a-vis language teaching. One portion of the teaching staff may have been teaching for 25 years and may not have any knowledge of second language acquisition and research…

Proposes ten principles for an extensive reading approach to teaching reading. The principles deal with the nature of extensive reading and the conditions and methodology necessary for its success. Encourages teachers to use the principles as a tool for examining their beliefs about reading in general and extensive reading in particular, as well…

Responds to an article that proposes 10 principles for teaching extensive second language reading and proposes its own principles. (Author/VWL)

Reports one individual's experience of being both a language learner and a language teacher and argues that these are very different worlds that do not necessarily meet. Examines a number of related studies, in which teachers have chosen to learn a language for purposes of personal professional development, and briefly checks the writer's own…