Professional Development of Language Teachers: Need for Self-Appraisal
On February 17, 2021, the Language Research Center (LRC) hosted a workshop titled "Professional Development of Language Teachers: Need for Self-Appraisal", conducted by Dr. Shadma Iffat Rahmatullah. Central to her presentation was the concept of the reflective teacher.
Dr. Iffat initiated the session by underscoring the significance of teachers' professional development for their career progression. She further illustrated that, as lifelong learners, teachers continuously adapt to ever-evolving teaching and learning landscapes. She posed critical questions about whether teachers engage in self-evaluation, set predetermined learning outcomes, and assess the effectiveness of their teaching from a learning perspective.
Dr. Iffat went on to discuss the role of quality professional development, showing the correlation between teaching practices and students' academic achievements, and the alignment of teaching goals with students' actual learning requirements. In light of this, she stressed, professional development is essential, as it focuses on how teachers shape their professional identities through continuous interaction with students. She also highlighted that research shows students with high-performing teachers progress three times as quickly as those with low-performing teachers, underlining the necessity for teachers to understand the theoretical basis of instructional strategies.
Additionally, Dr. Iffat shed light on how personal life factors can affect a teacher's performance. Accordingly, she suggested that teachers must cultivate skills to strike a balance between their personal and professional lives.
Comparing teacher training and professional development, Dr. Iffat explained that professional development emphasizes teachers' understanding of their teaching contexts, enabling them to effectively apply their skills in the classroom, while teacher training enhances their pedagogical abilities.
Dr. Iffat stressed the importance of self-reflection or being a reflective teacher – one who can self-evaluate and understand what, why, and how they should conduct classes. She also offered insights into how such self-evaluations can be executed.
In conclusion, Dr. Iffat emphasized that teachers' professional development is instrumental in enhancing students' understanding and that continual reflection on teaching practices is a crucial component of professional development.
Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi commended Dr. Iffat's informative presentation, affirming the importance of reflective teaching and adaptation to new technology. He expressed gratitude towards the Ph.D. students and all webinar participants. LRC Director, Dr. Ismail Alrefaai, emphasized the importance of hosting such webinars under the banner of Teachers' Professional Development. He added that technology can be a helpful tool for self-evaluation and reiterated that teachers should use student feedback for continual self-improvement.
The webinar was a great success, marked by interactive discussions and the active participation of both male and female faculty members and Ph.D. students.
