Study On English Teachers’ Professional Development In Senior Middle Schools-based On Relfective Teaching

With the rapid development of education and the improvement of education , especially with thedeepening of the reform of basic education, the gap between the quality of teachers and theimplementation of quality education requirements in the whole country has become increasinglyprominent. Thus, teachers’professional quality, professional knowledge and professional abilitiesurgently need improving. Therefore, the focus of China’s education has been transferred from theamount expansion to qualitative improvement. The research on teachers’further education has becomethe important topic in the national education reform, and teachers’professional development becomesthe research focus. Experts and scholars have devoted themselves to finding out the approaches toteachers’professional development; and training reflective teachers has been regarded as an effectiveway to promoting the professional development of teachers meanwhile they have pointed out trainingteachers in favor of reflection is the only way of promoting it. In order to adapt to the situation,Weifang, as a major city of the basic elementary education reform, has practiced it actively. All theteachers at all levels have been required to conduct reflective teaching, engage in scientific research , andpromote their development . This study aims at exploring the present situation of reflective teaching andteachers’professional development in senior middle schools of Weifang urban area. The mainexisting problems and reasons will be analyzed and discussed by the research, which also intends toexplore ways so as to provide reference for further promoting teachers’professional development byreflective teaching.Based on the theory of teachers’ professional development, the theory of reflective teaching andaction research theory, the study is conducted in Weifang urban area. The subjects of the researchinclude 282 senior middle school English teachers. By means of literature review, questionnaires anddata analysis, the investigation involves teachers’basic information, reflections and development and soon. The questionnaires of the study are handed out to 287 teachers . 282 questionnaires are returned, thetotal effective rate being 98.26%. The valid questionnaires have a certain representation. Thus, it isbelieved that they can objectively reflect the current situation of reflection, reflective teaching andteachers’ professional development of senior middle school English teachers in Weifang urban area. The data are analyzed by using percentage methods. Through analysis and discussion, the researchhas come to the conclusion that the senior middle school English teachers in Weifang urban area have acertain professional development and self-reflection consciousness. However, it still needs to bestrengthened. In the actual operation process, they have met with many difficulties and confusions. Suchas (1) The concepts of teachers’reflection and reflective teaching have been somewhat confused. (2)Some teachers didn’t combine their reflection with their teaching subjects. (3) The effect of collectivereflection is not apparent. (4) Teachers of different growth stages did not take corresponding reflectionstrategies. (5) Reflection was not combined with practice, and even the effect of reflection was not putinto practice. (6) Most of the teachers are not satisfied with their professional development. (7) Teachers’professional development lack theoretical guidance and support by some departments. As a result,Teachers’professional development still needs self-learning, professional help and strong support bytheir schools and the departments responsible for education.Based on the results, the study holds that: (1) Teachers’professional development can be realizedthrough reflective teaching. Senior middle school English teachers are supposed to cultivate andenhance reflection consciousness, enrich reflection contents, adopt various means to reflect, andstrengthen collective reflection, express the power of collective intelligence, highlight the characteristicsof English subject while reflecting, furthermore, combine reflection with practice so as to achieve“reflect on practice”,“reflect in practice”,“reflect for practice”.(2) Teachers’professional developmentcan be promoted by emphasizing teachers’lifelong learning. Senior middle school English teachersshould persist in lifelong learning, set up the consciousness of self-development, make efforts topromote self-development. School leaders should continuously innovate their ideas, use advanceddemocratic management methods, build harmonious campus, actively promote teachers’professionaldevelopment based on reflective teaching. The departments responsible for education should increasefinancial input, improve school conditions, provide logistical support for teachers’ professionaldevelopment.China’s social and educational development has put forward higher requirements for teachers’professional development. It can’t be denied that its low level has already restricted the furtherdevelopment of educational reform. So teachers’ professionalization and professional development is notonly the requirements but also the inevitable trend of the development of modern education. Therefore,to continuously improve teachers’professional level in China is the needs of reality. It is sincerely hoped that the present research can contribute to our country’s basic education reform and development.