The opposition between learning as a process of self-cultivation ("Bildung") and learning as a form of vocational training for the workplace ("Ausbildung") is becoming ever more deeply entrenched in the twenty-first-century university. In language education in particular, the distinction between these two competing aims…

The present review article is intended to bring the significant issue of teachers' reflective practice into the limelight by overviewing how this concept evolved through time and what it promises for successful teaching. The concept of "teacher reflection," defined as teachers' beliefs about their teaching practice, has been subjected to…

Transformations associated with the increasing speed, scale, and complexity of mobilities, together with the information technology revolution, have changed the demography of most countries of the world and brought about accompanying social, cultural, and economic shifts (Heugh, 2013). This complex diversity has changed the very nature of…

Modern higher education requires the problem of development of professional value insights of a teacher of a new formation to be solved. One of the vital tasks of the national education is development of axiological resources of a teacher's individuality and his value system and insights. It should be noted that teaching means of development of a…

In this article the author asserts that learning is about personal growth and enrichment, and at its core it is not about career determinations. Good teachers nurture their students; they encourage them to pursue their dreams, and they find ways to stimulate curiosity and dedication to lifelong learning. They do not become teachers because of…

This paper uses two autobiographical accounts of language learning within the context of highly significant personal relationships to argue that the functional emphasis of communicative language teaching has narrowed our understanding of the potential personal and educational meaning of what it is to learn a language. The author's learning of…

This paper explores the authors' experiences as an early career teacher educator and English-language instructor in an English-medium university in Turkey. The theoretical framework shaping their collaboration draws upon a narrative view of teacher knowledge as an embodiment of teachers' experiences in schools in close relationship with their…

A feature of language teaching in recent decades has been the development of process-oriented approaches. This orientation towards processes encourages us to facilitate learner choice and individual development. However, it is challenged by the current educational climate, which prioritizes accountability and assessment. In this situation, a new…

In this article we examine a teacher-authored narrative in which Steve Mann (2002), an English as a second language teacher, critically reflects on how his teaching beliefs were transformed as a result of participating in "cooperative development" (Edge, 1992, 2002). Cooperative development is an inquiry-based approach to professional development…

This article traces the evolution of the English language curriculum for senior secondary school in China from 1949 against the background of national developments in China. The latest English language curriculum (2003) is then introduced and discussed in comparison with the 1993 syllabus. The comparison suggests that the 2003 curriculum…

The psychology of personal constructs is suggested to help students interpret cultural facts and events in light of underlying attitudes and values. By constructing both their own and foreign values and extending them, students can find bridges to another culture and discover alternatives to their own cultural patterns of thought. (MSE)

This article explores the concept of tradition within language teacher education (LTE) and extends our understanding of the elements involved in the formation of identity in preservice, second language teachers. After reviewing various perspectives of identity formation, a discursive model is offered as an approach to individual development within…

As a profession language educators are paying more attention to teacher-driven research to help clarify and explain those phenomena occurring in our classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to explore the following question: What happens when teachers apply a teacher action research (TAR) strategy for improving their classroom practice? I will…