Study On The Roles Of Peer Observation In College English Teachers' Professional Development

Along with the propulsion of college English teaching reform, teachers should regularly consider improving their teaching techniques and self-development abilities. Teachers'professional development abilities are essential for every teacher. However, there are many problems to be solved in teachers' professional development. College English teaching reform, not only means that the students change their study methods, but also requires that teachers to change their teaching methods. Therefore, the training of basic teaching skills is not enough, so teachers must dedicate to their professional development. Since the early 1980s, many teachers have applied their professional development methods while practice. During this global education reform and practice, peer observation is one good way for teachers'professional development. It received a great appreciation in British, American and Australian teaching environment. However, Chinese researchers have paid more attention towards middle school English in their previous studies. A very few researchers have involved the application of it during the college English teaching. Meanwhile, they focused more towards the introduction of method, lacking of corresponding case studies.This research was conducted by English teachers from Xinxiang Medical University. The methods used were interviews, surveys and classroom observation. Its focus was to find out the effects of peer observation of teaching(POT) in promoting teachers' professional development. It also tries to find out what the problems exist in the practical application of POT and further summarizes the improved effective method of POT. It has a significant meaning towards college English teachers' professional development.Research results demonstrate that:(1) Peer observation of teaching can encourage teachers to break the conventional teaching mode. It is also one of the effective ways of realizing teachers' professional development. However, the application of peer observation of teaching in college English teachers' professional development is not optimistic, only the 45.2% faculty implements the conscious classroom observation.(2) The main problem with POT's carrying on in the process of college English teachers' professional development lies in lacking of effective preparation in pre-observation; lacking of the correspondence skill-guidance in the period of in-observation; and lacking of timely feedback and active objective reflection in the period of post-observation.(3) Some more effective methods are referred in this research, which can implement college English teachers' peer observation of teaching. Namely, the teachers who join in the POT should base on one's own free will; the participants should hold an objective and neutral attitude; before the observation, the participants should discuss the contents of teaching, and how to make a record in the process of observation, and how to reflect and improve after the observation. All these are indispensable steps.Peer observation is an effective way to change teachers'understanding of classroom teaching. It helps to correct teachers'dated teaching experience; actively improve the relationship between teachers and establish a good school-based research atmosphere. This thesis discussed peer observation in details from its definition, characteristics, processes and methods. Based on the ways of questionnaire survey, interviews, story telling and discusses, it systematically analyzes the current problems existing in the teachers'peer observation; advocates that teachers should find problems from the real teaching situation and solve them. It also demonstrates that both parties can benefit from the non-evaluation peer observation and this really promotes college teachers'professional development. The methods and steps mentioned in this thesis may bring some inspiration and reference to other teachers.