Facilitating children’s speech, language and communication development: An exploration of an embedded, service-based professional development program

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Brebner ◽  
Stacie Attrill ◽  
Claire Marsh ◽  
Lilienne Coles
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Observational Data ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Skill Development ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Language And Communication ◽  
Children's Speech

Professional development can provide opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge, and to apply them to practice in a sustainable way. However, delivery of professional development needs to consider the philosophies and pedagogies of training recipients, and activities should be tailored to meet their needs. This article reports on an exploratory study of an embedded, service-based model of professional development for early childhood educators (educators), targeting children’s speech, language, and communication skill development. This innovative model, conducted by speech and language therapy (SLT) students and a SLT professional practice educator, utilized co-teaching strategies to facilitate the professional learning of educators and SLTs in this context. A qualitative research design was employed and data gathered through focus group interviews with educators and individual semi-structured interviews with centre directors. The data were triangulated with some observational data of educators’ practices with young children several months post program completion to explore their application of skills and knowledge that had been covered in the professional development program. The data contained four main themes: Communication, relationships, environment, and translating knowledge into practice. Observational data lent further depth and validation to the results by confirming the presence or absence of expressed practice values and experiences in the educators’ everyday interactions with children. The observational data supported the themes relationships and translating knowledge into practice. The results contribute to our understanding of educators’ and childcare centre directors’ perspectives on their knowledge, skills, and practice in response to this embedded professional development program. This model of professional development may be appropriate to facilitate knowledge and skill development about children’s speech, language, and communication skills for educators working with young children in a childcare setting. Benefits for educators and SLTs were found where good working relationships and communication had been established.

scholarly journals The Master Teacher Program: Professional Development for College Teachers

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Kerwin-Boudreau
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Master Teacher ◽  
College Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Teachers Perspectives

In this qualitative study I explored six college (CEGEP) teachers’ perspectives on teaching and learning over a two-year period, as they completed the first four courses in a professional development program, the Master Teacher Program (MTP). Repeated, semi-structured interviews were analyzed, using the complementary processes of categorizing and connecting. Results revealed, through four patterns and three major dimensions, a process of evolution from a teacher- to a learner-centered perspective.

“I’d Rather Chew on Aluminum Foil:” Overcoming Classroom Teachers’ Resistance to Teaching Physical Education

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nell Faucette ◽  
Peg Nugent ◽  
James F. Sallis ◽  
Thomas L. McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Aluminum Foil ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Classroom Teachers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Instructional Behaviors ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Problem Solve

Classroom teachers’ responses to a 2-year professional development program are presented. Sixteen 4th- and 5th-grade teachers involved in Project SPARK completed structured interviews, questionnaires, and written evaluations of program sessions. Although in Year 1 more than half of the teachers expressed concerns about schedules and equipment management, results indicated that the program helped increase their self-confidence when teaching physical education. Participants believed that students benefitted from their enhanced knowledge and instructional behaviors. Program components most appreciated included: the input received and responsiveness of the design team; opportunities to collaborate, discuss concerns, and problem-solve with each other and the facilitators; and having on-site and large-group-session modeling. Results indicated that the teachers were less enthusiastic about a self-management curriculum due to its behavioral emphasis, yet supported the assertion that an ongoing, supportive professional development program can substantially improve classroom teachers’ physical education programs.

scholarly journals The Role of English as a Medium of Instruction in Reshaping Bahraini Senior Teachers’ Perceptions of Their Roles as Middle Leadership in their Schools (An Exploratory Study)

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-15
Author(s):  
Hasan Al-Wadi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teachers College ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Positive Attitudes

This paper investigates the role English plays as the medium of instruction in reshaping Bahraini senior teachers’ perceptions about their actual role in their schools during their professional development program at the Bahrain Teachers College at the University of Bahrain. The data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussion with an opportunity sample of the senior teachers who recently graduated from the program. The quantitative findings show that using English played a significant role in motivating the participants to form positive attitudes towards their professional development program while the qualitative data reveal how the target language participated in enabling those teachers reshape their perceptions about certain professional practices and assisted them in gaining new skills to improve the overall performance of their teachers in school. The study concludes with implications of how using English as the main medium of instruction facilitates conceptual change in professional development programs.

Lessons Learned from Designing and Implementing a Three-Year Professional Development Program

2017 ◽  
pp. 415-427
Author(s):  
Jennifer V. Jones ◽  
Cecilia C. Arias
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Elementary Teachers ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Revision Process ◽  
Initial Design ◽  
Program Components

This chapter highlights a process of creating, revising, and evaluating a professional development (PD) program for in-service upper elementary teachers (grades 3-6), titled the Central New Jersey Partnership to Enhance Mathematics Achievement (CNJ PEMA). Beginning with the research base that informed the initial design of the multi-year program, a description of the program components and implementation, a discussion of the revision process, and lessons learned from formal evaluation (daily feedback forms) and teacher reflections are provided. In particular, attention is focused on how the program sought to include teachers as partners in the creation and revision process as a way to provide them with a voice and choice in their own professional learning.

scholarly journals Enhancing Teachers’ Competencies through Professional Development Program: Challenges and Benefactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Dewi Listia Apriliyanti
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Development Program ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Learning Development ◽  
Teachers Professional Development ◽  
Competence Test

Teachers’ professional development program is considered to play an important role in enhancing teacher competencies. An observational case study is conducted to observe teachers’ learning process and teachers’ outcomes after learning on the program. Five English teachers who have participated in the professional development program in Indonesia and passed the teachers’ competence test on the program have become key informants of this research. The objectives of the research are to investigate the learning process on the program and challenges faced by the teachers in implementing their teaching knowledge and outcome of teachers after participating in the program. The research has found three essential findings. First, the research found that pedagogic competences and professional competences have become the basic formulation for learning materials that are taught in the program. Second, the research found four obstacles and challenges to implement teachers’ knowledge from the program in their classroom, for instance, innovative teaching methods and creative lesson design. The third, the investigation also discovered the challenges and the benefactions in the implementation of professional learning development as one of the solutions in enhancing English teachers’ competences in Indonesia.

scholarly journals Significant process of change for elementary teachers to foster functional thinking

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (47) ◽  
pp. 1007-1015
Author(s):  
Nasim Asghary ◽  
Ahmad Shahvarani ◽  
Ali Reza Medghalchi
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Elementary Teachers ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Professional Development Program ◽  
Process Of Change ◽  
Functional Thinking ◽  
Level Of Use ◽  
Significant Process ◽  
Adaptation Model

The purpose of this study was to explore a professional development program that involved 15 teachers. Functional thinking was used as a centerpiece of the program for work with teachers of Grades 1-5 during 6 months of the study. We used the concern-based adaptation model (CBAM) as a methodology to track the process of change of teachers and to understand the trajectories through which teachers may progress. Two questions guided the investigations: 1. How does implementation of the professional development program focused on functional thinking impact teachers' concerns? 2. How did teachers' practice change due to the implementation of the innovation program? The result of the study showed effectiveness of process of change in teachers, both in stages of concerns and level of use of the innovation.

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