Exploration Of The Professional Development Of University EFL Teachers

In the era of globalization, the position of English as the world language has become more and more stable. Besides, the China’s open-door policy also provides a favorable condition for the popularization of English. People are enthusiastic about learning English in China. Therefore, more qualified teachers are needed. At the same time, the learner-centered curriculum reform needs more qualified teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) and calls for professional development of EFL teachers. Therefore, the research of the content and means of university EFL teacher professional development is more significant.In the related national and international literature, many of the studies have been done mainly from the perspectives of researchers and teachers. The research regarding the content of teacher professional development is few, however. Hence, this master thesis intends to explore the content and means of university EFL teacher professional development by empirical study from students’perspective--based on students’needs.To this end, a qualitative research methodology of semi-structured interview was adopted in this thesis.20 students with 5 different majors were interviewed. The research findings are generated on the basis of a careful and systematic qualitative analysis of the raw data.The result of this study suggests both the content of professional learning of university EFL teachers and the means to help teachers achieve their professional development, viewed from students’perspectives. As for the content of professional learning of university EFL teachers, based on students’needs, university EFL teachers need to improve their pedagogical content knowledge and subject content knowledge. They also need to possess high professional ethics and brilliant personal traits. As regards the means to achieve professional development of university EFL teachers, university EFL teachers could develop them by the following four means:personal professional learning, school-based in-service training, action research and overseas study, suggested from a focused study of students’needs.The result of this study has both theoretical and practical significance. In theory, it will enrich the theory of teacher professional development and teacher reflection theory. In practice, the research findings will provide teachers with some empirical data to understand more about students’needs, thus benefiting teacher professional development. Meanwhile, education administrators and teacher educators will know more about issues related to teacher professional development and create a more conducive climate to facilitate teacher professional development.