From experienced to professional practitioners: a participatory lesson study approach to strengthen and sustain English language teaching and leadership
International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies
ISSN: 2046-8253
Article publication date: 9 July 2020
Issue publication date: 17 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study arises from a recent school-based professional development (PD) programme conducted for English language teachers (ELTs) in a secondary school in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where a participatory lesson study (PLS) strategy was implemented to develop four ELTs' teaching skills and their senior teacher's leadership. The influence of the PLS on creating a participatory PD experience for the participants was investigated through exploring their perceptions of their professional growth during their PLS experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a qualitative interpretive approach, a total of eight lesson study cases and 16 meetings were conducted and analysed.
Findings
The main factors that influenced the participants' perceptions of their professional growth in PLS were high self-efficacy and confidence; dominancy of their peers; the informality of the PLS practice; and reflective practice. Relatedly, the results revealed critical thoughts about PLS as a means for ELT's self-directed PD in non-native English-speaking contexts.
Originality/value
The study provides an alternative approach to PD that can be offered for ELTs in any ESL/EFL context that focusses on supporting non-native English-speaking teachers' practices by associating theory with practice. This approach has enabled them to gain the practical skills they need and develop their awareness about the theoretical principles of these practices. For the first time, teachers were given the role to act as the trainers and the theorisers of their own teaching practices.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Deanship of Bahrain Teachers College at University of Bahrain and Deanship of Faculty of Education and Social Work at University of Auckland for providing support and assistance as well as the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain for facilitating and supporting this project through the partnership project between Bahrain Teachers College and Faculty of Education and Social Work.
Citation
Alwadi, H.M., Mohamed, N. and Wilson, A. (2020), "From experienced to professional practitioners: a participatory lesson study approach to strengthen and sustain English language teaching and leadership", International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 333-349. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLLS-10-2019-0072
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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