Category Archives: professional development

Teachers, Research and Methodology Textbooks

Posted on 25 April, 2017 by Simon Borg

I’ve just returned from the ELTRIA conference at the University of Barcelona on the theme of bridging the gap between research and practice. Scott Thornbury spoke there about an interesting line of inquiry he has initiated looking into how methodology … Continue reading →

Posted in professional development, research | 5 Comments

Long live grammar teaching (or ‘It ain’t over till the fat lady sings’)

Posted on 19 October, 2016 by Simon Borg

In the last 20 years, repeated messages in the literature about communicative and task-based approaches, and the uptake of these approaches in contemporary coursebooks, may have created the impression that a ‘modern’ approach to grammar teaching is now a universal … Continue reading →

Posted in grammar, professional development, teacher cognition | Comments Off on Long live grammar teaching (or ‘It ain’t over till the fat lady sings’)

Workshops and Teacher Change

Posted on 5 July, 2016 by Simon Borg

Recently I observed a training workshop that teachers of English were attending as part of a teacher development project they were on. The theme of the workshop was ‘Using Games’ and the teachers assumed the role of learners and experienced … Continue reading →

Posted in professional development, teacher education | 14 Comments

Do Teachers’ Beliefs Really Matter?

Posted on 25 April, 2016 by Simon Borg

I’ve spent many years promoting research on language teachers’ beliefs, so the above question may come as a surprise, especially given that beliefs are such an established area of inquiry. But it is precisely because the status of beliefs as an important focus … Continue reading →

Posted in professional development, research, teacher cognition | 4 Comments

From Activities to Reflection in Teacher Development

Posted on 10 February, 2016 by Simon Borg

I’ve just returned from a visit to a project that is promoting mentoring as a strategy for the professional development of English language teachers. During the visit I observed English lessons in secondary state schools and also sat in on … Continue reading →

Posted in professional development, teacher education | 23 Comments