The Status Quo And Needs Of Professional Development Of Junior High School English Teachers In Changsha

English, as a world language, has been a vital tool for International exchanges and technology and cultural communication. English teaching and learning in compulsory education is of considerable significance for the future development of young generation. Faced with a new round reform of junior English curriculum and police adjustments of English test in Changsha, junior high school English teachers eagerly need opportunities to update their professional knowledge and improve their skills, that is, opportunities for professional development. Therefore, it is meaningful to conduct this research on the status quo and needs of professional development of junior high school English teachers in Changsha.On the basis of documentary analysis, a mixed research method was employed to understand the status quo of professional development of Changsha junior high school English teachers, identify the common and effective professional development activities Changsha junior high school English teachers engaged in, and investigate their professional development needs. Firstly, the quantitative data were responded by141junior high school English teachers who voluntarily fill out a questionnaire survey. They came from64different schools in Changsha, and47among them were from education group such as Changjun Education Group and Yali Education Group which Changjun Middle school of Changsha and Yali High School belong to. Secondly, qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to interview6teachers. Meanwhile, the researcher has also conducted fieldwork by attending three teaching and research activities organized for junior high school English teachers in Changsha, and observed two classes which were given by newly hired junior high school English teachers from two different schools and an episode of teaching competition of new junior high school English teachers in Yuelu District. Transferred to the Excel2010and the SPSS19.0programme, the collected quantitative data was analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and t-test. The qualitative data obtained from recorded interviews and hand-written field notes was separated and extracted thematically according to the research questions.The results of the study suggested that the subjects in the sample embraced an advanced educational philosophy and theory on education, teachers and students. Changsha junior high school English teachers overall had a relatively high level of satisfaction with their teaching work and a strong sense of self-refection, expressing a desire for professional development. But their scientific attitude and ability needed to be further improved. They were inclined to share ideas and exchange experiences with their peers, which was also considered to be most useful professional development activity for enhancing their teaching practice. T-test results also showed a meaningful statistical significance in frequency of engaging in different professional development activities in terms of their work status, years of teaching and whether they belong to education group. Changsha junior English instructors generally hold a positive opinion on the usefulness of professional development activities. Their professional development needs were much higher in developing practical ability-"professional competence of facilitating students’ learning and development", especially, they wanted to enrich their teaching ways and create a flexible classroom students actively participate in. And statistically significant differences were observed among Changsha junior high school English teachers’ professional development needs in terms of work status, graduate major and years of teaching. No distinctive differences existed because of their graduate school and education group.This research provides some valuable and reliable data information for the Changsha Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in primary and secondary schools and relevant agencies or administrators to plan and organize professional development activities for Changsha junior high school English teachers. Additionally, the author raised some proposals and suggestions for the further study.