English teacher training, enhanced by mTech

1. English teacher training, enhanced by mTech Tom Power, Director, English in Action the Open University t.j.m.p.power@open.ac.uk

2. English in Action

3. an approach to achieving impact at scale? • existing teacher training institutions cannot hope to meet the needs of the 21st Century...most teacher education … will happen in schools... …it will be practically focussed on improving the day to day work of teachers… … we have the glimmer, perhaps more, of hope offered by new technologies and new forms of communication. (Moon, 2007)

4. Previous approaches to ELT teacher training in Bangladesh “most reform attempts have suffered from a lack of planning… not providing supportive resources… lack of co-ordinated long-term focus… In spite of a general improvement in T’s knowledge about ELT…. there is little evidence of much difference in classroom practice” A.Rahman on BRAC-PACE (2006)

5. Pre-EIA classroom practices • the approach in most lessons did not encourage a communicative approach... • throughout the lessons, teaching from the blackboard was the predominant approach... • teachers also read from the textbook and asked closed questions, or moved around the classroom monitoring and facilitating students as they worked individually. In 90% of the lessons, no other pedagogic activities were observed

9. impact scale

10. computers & language labs? “There really is no evidence to suggest the use of language laboratories improved the efficiency of language learning overall... [Computers for language learning are] “...something of an oddity ...no clear method or best practice for using them.” (Milton, 2002, p16-17)

11. recorded audio? “...multiple examples of good practice... [which] can yield immense learning gains...” (Milton, ibid)

12. support beyond school support in school professional development materials for teachers and classroom use, new tools, HT & peer support peer support through meetings and visits; wider project support new classroom activities for teachers & students Supporting changes in classroom practices

18. the EIA model for impact at scale

19. Research, Monitoring & Evaluation indicators

20. Indicator 1: Reach 98% of teachers (primary & secondary) were confident to use the EIA technologies and materials for their professional development, and in their classroom practice. “EIA is not like other projects. In other projects we go for training and after the training is finished everything is forgotten when we go back to the school” Secondary teacher from Khulna

21. Indicator 2: Impacts on Practice

22. Indicator 3: Impacts on English Language Competence Teachers’ English Language Competence

23. Indicator 3: Impacts on English Language Competence Primary Students’ English Language Competence

24. Indicator 3: Impacts on English Language Competence Primary Students’ English Language Competence

25. Summary Tom Power, Director, English in Action the Open University t.j.m.p.power@open.ac.uk