ESL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR PRE-SERVICE AND IN-SERVICE NEEDS (TRAINING ASSESSMENT, PROGRAMS)

In the field of Teaching English-as-a-second-language (TESL), seldom have the existing guidelines and models for teacher training been designed with the incorporation of the ESL teachers' input. Yet, teachers' input can produce valuable information for planning pre-service and in-service teacher training programs. This study investigated the ESL teachers' preferences for training at their pre- and in-service programs. All the 330 members of the New Jersey Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/New Jersey Bilingual Education (NJTESOL/NJBE) organization whose special interest was ESL were selected to participate in the survey. The selection of these participants was based on the assumption that membership in this organization implied that the persons were professionally motivated and interested in the field, and thus, they best represented the ESL teacher population.; The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire consisting of a comprehensive list of competencies related to ESL teacher training. It was developed from several guidelines in the United States. Respondents were asked to assess their needs and the usefulness of these competencies.; There were five independent variables tested: (1) the length of ESL teaching experience, (2) course work in TESL, (3) age of ESL students, (4) level of ESL students, and (5) non-ESL teaching experience. The responses were analyzed according to these variables using frequency counts, percentages, and chi square tests.; A summary of the findings is listed below: (1) Generally speaking, a majority of the respondents rated the competencies in the area of language teaching (e.g. designing a lesson plan, adapting materials, use of media, use of teaching techniques, etc.) higher in need for and useful than those competencies in the areas of language learning and linguistics. (2) Tests and testing were perceived to be the most needed area for in-service training. (3) Twelve of the competencies categorized as unique to the teacher of ESL were perceived to be the least useful competencies. (4) Teachers with less pre-service training expressed more need for training in most of the competencies. However, teachers with less experience in teaching ESL expressed more need for training in significantly fewer competencies. (5) Course work in TESL was more closely associated with teachers' perceptions of their needs than teaching experience in ESL. (6) Over 80 percent of the respondents viewed their pre-service training as "useful".