A Study On The English Teachers’ Professional Development Of Newly-upgraded Universities

In 1996, the ILO and UNESCO proposed the concept of teacher professionalism. Since that year, the strategic subject of the research on teachers’ professional development has attracted much attention and made great advancement. In China, the achievements of the research on teachers’ professional development are quite fruitful, but there is little related research focusing on the English teachers’ professional development in the newly-upgraded colleges. According to the statistics, about one-third of the total number of national universities are newly-upgraded ones and have become an important part of higher education in our country. The promotion of these universities puts forward higher requirements for college English teachers. However, the current status of newly-upgraded university English teachers’ professional development in China is not optimistic. The situation seems hard to meet the requirements for the needs of newly-upgraded university English teaching reform and development. Therefore, to promote English teachers’ professional development in newly-upgraded universities is a matter of great urgency at the present.Based on a literature review of the English teachers’ professional development, this study, through a combination method of questionnaire, interview and narrative research, investigated English teachers of a newly-upgraded university in Qingdao, Shandong Province. The questionnaire includes teachers’ basic situation, professional knowledge and ability, the needs and consciousness of professional development, the ways and means of professional development. To deeply explore the present situations of English teachers’ professional development in newly-upgraded universities, 4 English teachers were interviewed in this study. In total, 63 copies of questionnaires were distributed, and 60 valid questionnaires were received.Through investigation and data analysis, this study concludes that most English teachers in newly-upgraded universities experience four stages: learning stage, professional stage, reflection stage and research stage. Everyone has experienced for each stage with varying lengths of time. However, they confront with many difficulties for professional development, especially in teaching, scientific research andself-professional development. Firstly, 90% of the subjects agree with English-teaching reform, but their recognition of reform stay in the superficial level. 88.3% of the subjects unceasingly understand English teaching in the teaching practice, but their teaching effect is not satisfactory for lack of teaching theory, professional knowledge and abilities, etc. Secondly, most of the subjects are very weak in scientific research. This situation is caused by both teachers themselves and the college policy. Lastly, 1/3 of the subjects have not made a clear plan for self-development, and 1/2 of the subjects don’t have a deep understanding of the means of self-development.The study holds that three factors- teachers, the university and the society restrict English teachers’ professional development in newly-upgraded university and puts forward the following three feasible suggestions: 1) In order to improve the level of professional development, university English teachers should strengthen independent development consciousness, develop professional development planning, and enhance the professional knowledge and expertise through constant reflection, lifelong learning and action research; 2) Universities should advocate teacher training, establishing the cooperative learning organization and evaluation system to promote teachers’ professional development and to ensure the sustainable development of teachers; 3) The society should develop targeted in-service teacher training to promote the development of the individual and the group of English teachers.Serving as a theoretical and empirical exploration, this study expects to provide reference and enlightenment for those teachers who are eager to promote their professional development, aiming to encourage and help them to conduct professional development research through teaching, researching, learning, reflection and cooperation. Also, this study can provide meaningful enlightenment for the education authorities who are responsible for making policies of teachers’ professional development in newly-upgraded universities.