To advance with times---- A study of a teacher training workshop

Abstract:
“To advance with times” is a political claim of the Chinese government in response to the dynamic changing force of globalization. To fall in line with the international practice has become a national golden rule. Foreign language teaching for English majors, in this drive, is placed in the forefront of higher education reform, since language evidently is the key to the stage of world.
This paper is to provide a detailed description and analysis of an English teacher training workshop at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) by drawing on some of my insights and theoretical knowledge, in an attempt to discuss the necessity of in-service English teacher training in higher institution and interpret the evidence of its effectiveness in face of global challenges.
The discussion and analysis is divided into three sections. Firstly, a base line study will be carried out to detail the underlying problems, which signifies the urgency of the teacher training. Secondly, this will be followed by a description of the training detail at the workshop. Thirdly, an analysis will be given to weigh the effectiveness of the workshop on actual classroom teaching practice. Also, a discussion will be brought about to consider the improvement of the workshop for the next round of training, its appropriateness of operating a workshop on a regular base and how to ensure its proper function in the long run.

I. The macro- and micro- environment behind this initiative
Over the past 30 years, China has been undergoing a revolutionary economic reform in order to “keep pace with the time”. Her active participation in the international practice makes the professionals with high proficiency in English in great demand. English language, without any doubt, has become a stepping stone for decent jobs. A more forceful push is that the Ministry of Education requires university students to pass National College English Test for graduation. Among all the graduates, English majors (who majored in English literature and linguistics), differentiating themselves from non-English majors, are marked with more distinctive labels as competent English speakers. On top of that, foreign language universities, such as Beijing Foreign Languages University and Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), are reputably committed to cultivate English language elites with “high-quality, multiple skills, international vision, spirit of innovation, and capacity of practice”.
SISU was founded in December 1949. It was named the Shanghai Foreign Language Institute and became a national key university approved by the State Council in 1963. Approved by the Ministry of Education in 1994, it was officially renamed as “Shanghai International Studies University”. In 1996, it passed the evaluation process of Project 211 directed by the Ministry of Education, and became one of the nation’s “100 key universities for the 21st Century.” The centre of National Test for English Majors (TEM) also has its headquarter at SISU and it is run by professor and experts from SISU. Generally speaking, SISU and the alike are usually regarded to take the lead in China’s English language teaching (ELT) at tertiary level.
Behind all the fame enjoyed home and abroad, SISU and its alike, at present, have faced with a number of challenges. With more and more English language speakers of high calibre emerging from non-English majors, English majors clearly feel the threat, since non-English majors has their specific professional knowledge other than English. As a result, a once promising major has stuck at the bottleneck. English majors seem lost their competitive glamour in the job market. The proper change and alignment, therefore, are critical to SISU.
Within the changing wave, one initiation is the most encouraging, that is, to organize a teacher training workshop, which is the first of its kind in the history of SISU. The participants are young teachers under 35. They vary from novice teachers up to the teachers of 8- year teaching experience. Young and energetic though, this group is particularly burdened with heavy teaching duties, demanding academic research work and personal life changes (such as marriage, taking care of babies).
A typical growing path of TEFL teachers at SISU is that he/she is postgraduate from SISU, majored in English literature and linguistics. He/She immediately shifted his/her role from a fresh graduate to a university teacher and is directly put into the classroom for survival. One teacher wrote in the participation report. “During my postgraduate study, it is such a pity that I have never had any proper teacher training or teaching placement. After graduation, I started teaching and found myself like a lost lamb without any confidence. I wanted to study teaching methodology but don’t know how to start. I am reluctant to consult with experienced teachers, since they are fully occupied and they may not know well about the methodology.”
Another common belief on college ELT teachers in China is that “they know more English, they will teach better” (Maley, 1983: 97) According to Shulman (1989), there is a theoretical scheme of identifying three packs of knowledge for teachers: subject matter knowledge, pedagogic content knowledge and curricular knowledge. For subject matter knowledge, undoubtedly SISU teachers can represent a highest level. However, for pedagogic content knowledge and curricular knowledge, they showed their ignorance and incompetence. Even worse, the loose contacts among teaching staff are unfavourable for information exchange, teaching skills update and teaching problem solving. A decade ago, there used to be a regular consultation hour for teaching each week. Now it seems hard to organize, because the campus was moved to a remote area and teachers are unwilling to travel far for the meeting. Consequently, teachers are left alone to arrange class delivery and deal with teaching difficulties on their own.

II. Narrative of teacher training workshop at SISU
The workshop was hosted and conducted by the College of English Language and Linguistics (CELL). The authority body valued its important and gave their full support. Other ELT teachers from College of International Finance and Trade, College of International Business, College of Journalism and Communication, the Law School, College of International Education, College of International Cultural Exchange have also taken an active part in. All together 65 participants attended this two-month long workshop, which included lectures, seminars, group discussion and expert teachers’ demonstration classes. The following is a detailed account of how the workshop operated.

Session One: how to be a good teacher in China?
There are 5 sessions of this workshop. Participants joined in each week for different types of activities. At the beginning of the first session, there held a brief opening ceremony. Dean of CELL Professor Mei hosted the ceremony. He claimed that a good variety of training activities in the workshop would enable the teachers to have maximum gains. He also encouraged them to absorb, digest and internalize as many updated information and methods as possible.
Following on, President of SISU, professor Cao delivered a lecture on the topic of “teaching ethics and teaching capacity”. On one hand, he reviewed some traditional educational doctrines that have been influential in Chinese teaching and learning style. In fact, Zhang and Watkins’ (2007) research coincides with professor Cao’s speech theme. They both emphasise on the attributes of a good teacher should “not only promote students’ intellectual or academic development, but also enhance their conduct or moral behaviour.” (Zhang and Watkins, 2007) This belief can be traced back in ancient China while Han Yu, a prominent scholar in Tang Dynasty, wrote in his book Shi Dao (On teachers): “ What is a teacher? A teacher is the one who shows you the way of being human, teaches you knowledge and enlightens you while you are confused.” (Liu 1973, cited in Zhang & Watkins, 2007)
On the other hand, Professor Cao reiterated the importance of improving teaching skills and teachers’ persistent pursuit of their professional development. One equation he created shed the light on the essence of teaching: “quality teaching = (students + teaching materials + environment + teaching approaches) x teachers’ virtue and aptitude”. He concluded his speech by quoting Shakespeare’s famous remark: “The time of life is short, to spend that shortness basely, … Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.”
Session Two: theoretical update
From the second session, the workshop was organized by Honorary Dean of CELL, Professor He. In the second session, he invited Professor Zou, expert in developing ELT pedagogic skills, to facilitate participants with updated teaching methods and information and he also held a question and answer section for further discussion. In his speech, he covered three questions: What has research told us about language education? What has research told us about research methodologies in language education? What innovations are teachers making in language education? Research findings help ELT teachers to formulate a whole picture language education and its evolutionary process. Research also makes teaching approaches multiplied and give teachers’ a wide and wise selection to suit for their own teaching.
The highlight of his lecture is that he introduced his innovation of one teaching method: TELOS. He explains that “The TELOS model of the integrated skills of English language teaching based on a nine-year long curriculum and course development for Chinese learners at the foundation stage of the tertiary level. The acronym represents five key elements for conducting a class.” (Zou 2006) They are: 1) Target language input; 2) Engagement; 3) Learners’ active choices; 4) Comprehensible output; 5) Selective negative input. This teaching method has a solid theoretical foundation, such as Input Hypothesis by Krashen (1985), Stern’s Humpty-Dumpty Effect (1983) and Swain’s Comprehensible Output(1985). It “integrates a full spectrum of language skills and knowledge into one nutshell course. Their intricate relationship among the five components is demonstrated through the principles and methods of how the model is implemented in classroom practice.” (Zou 2006)
The initial outcome has been, on the whole, positive. Surely, this method needs more adaptation and adjustment. Professor Zou suggested that teachers who teach freshmen also can have a try so as to assess its suitability for comprehensive English class at SISU. Many participants showed their interests in its implementation.
Session Three: expert teachers’ demonstration class
The third session and fourth session are teacher representatives’ demonstration class. Professor Wu, 38, teacher of American Literature, has a profound knowledge on American and English literature. What impressed the audience most is his passion full of inspiring ideas. By analyzing the development of American literature history, he supplemented much fundamental literary knowledge to help audience comprehend various terms and notions. The whole class flow with a large amount information.
Teacher Gu, 27, champion of a national public speaking contest, did a demonstration class for the course of public speaking. She herself is a good example of successful English learner from SISU. Her liveliness vivify the class atmosphere. She tries hard to impart public speaking skills and amplify the students’ opportunity for practice. Her skillful operation of computer technology is another eye-catching feature of her class.
Associate Professor Gong, 35, teacher of junior comprehensive English class, has her own melodious teaching style. Her preparation could be described as meticulous. This course is to integrate speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in order to enhance students’ overall language ability. Gong selected some reading materials from the textbook, pretending that the teachers sitting in workshop were all her students. She guided the teachers to understand the content and carried out a discussion related with the theme. The most impressive part is how she let the teachers appreciate a speech called “Give me liberty or give me death”. She asked one teacher to read and then display a version read by professional actor. The effect of this activity received much praise.
Professor Wang, 50, is teacher of American culture. His exceptional fluent spoken English has attracted a group of secret admirers. Moreover, his teaching style distinct from our traditional way is another striking point. He talked about “American government” in the demonstration class. He threaded through a hierarchical scale of American government, filled with a large quantity of information and sparkled his ideas with humourous remarks. At the end of his demonstration, a wild applause flooded the workshop.
Session Five: learn from communication
The last session was rounded off by a consultation workshop. Teachers were divided into several groups. Professor He, the head of the workshop, invited the leader of the group to relate their teaching experience and the difficulties they met in the teaching. The rest discussed the most suitable way of solving the problem. For example, one teacher said that there are too many language features in the text. She couldn’t finish analyzing them within one and a half hours. Teacher Zhang used one idiom to illustrate his point of view: “He teaches ill who teaches all.” Teachers should not spoon the students all the details, otherwise, in the long run, the students would be taught nothing “but the shape of the spoon” (from Edward Morgan Foster). After heated discussion, the final solution was to rank the importance of language features and give priority to the most important.
Through the sharing and caring, many teaching elements were discussed, such as cultural studies on multiculturalism, computer techniques update, teacher cognition issue, which provided the next round of workshop with a wider range of training focus.

III. A Brief Evaluation of teacher training workshop
The direct benefits from the workshop will be summarized as follows. They are collected and compiled from a thorough investigation by means of interviews, survey, participation reports and a collection of teaching diaries.
1) The workshop is a place for information exchange and affective comforts.
As mentioned in the first part, teachers at SISU seldom get together for teaching consultation. This workshop takes an ice-breaking effect to link up young teachers from different colleges for the first time.
Teacher Zhang wrote: “I am grateful for CELL to organize this teacher training workshop. I came here to listen, to learn, to talk and to think. The gains are abundant.” Teacher Zhang reveals the true feeling of the young teachers at SISU. They are eager to be gathered for more communications, which will let the information flow naturally and efficiently.
Teacher Hou said: “ It is a golden opportunity for me to learn from my peer and talk with my colleagues. In the past, the odd situation in SISU was that we hardly discussed with each other on the matters of teaching. Now, the workshop pushed us forward to voice our opinions and relate our troubles.”
Freeman (2000) cited that “there are internal boundaries of belief, prior knowledge and so on that are equally potent in affecting teachers’ work….In (teachers’) daily work, unwittingly, teachers build and maintain the boundaries themselves.” It is inevitable that, if the regular communication among teachers has broken down, to rebuild it takes efforts and courage.

2) The workshop directs young teachers’ future professional development.
Many young teachers talked about their confidence in future teaching career. Before attending the workshop, they think teaching is such a repetitive work. They are reluctant to implement a new method. Now, they are inspired by expert teachers’ demonstration class.
Teacher Guo said: “Expert teachers acquire a sound knowledge of English language. They have a clear goal for self-improvement in teaching. They seem never tired of attempting new approach. I shall do the same in future.”
Teacher Yu said: “I have been fully absorbed in their demonstration class. I have never imagined that English class would be that eye-opening.”
Expert teacher Gong in the demonstration class said: “Teaching is to open a window for the student’s mind.” With this belief, Gong works hard while preparing each lesson and keeps a keen eye on the students’ actual progress in language competence.
The workshop, therefore, solves partially teacher identity’s puzzle. Tsui (2007) introduced Wenger’s (1998) proposal on three modes of belonging: engagement, imagination and alignment. The most noteworthy, here, is the engagement. “Engagement in practice is a powerful source of identification in that it involves investing ourselves in what we do as well as in our relations with other members of the community.” (Tusi 2007) So, in the community of SISU, young teachers finally found the compass to establish a sense of belonging and set off for further professional development.
3) The workshop enables young teachers to embrace more theoretical TEFL knowledge.
The acquisition of pedagogic knowledge took place explicitly and inexplicitly in the course of workshop. On the perspective of explicit input, Professor Zou shared with young teachers his recent research product as well as his good study on the issue of TEFL.
Teacher Dan wrote: “Professor Zou’s lecture let me feel shameful, because I know very little about the theories of TEFL. I have been teaching for six years. I might explore and accumulate some teaching skills but it has never been consolidated by the pedagogic knowledge. It is time for me to make up for this missing part.” Teacher Li said: “ Professor Zou let me know how to start learning TEFL theories. It is exactly what I expected for the workshop.”
Inexplicit absorption took place during demonstration classes and consultation session. Demonstration classes are the source for young teachers to know different styles and approaches of teaching in reality. Consultation session allows teachers to generate from their own teaching experience to offer better solution. Teacher Shi wrote: “Gong’s teaching method suits me well. I experimented in my class and received a good feedback. I shall prepare the lessons in different angles, so more contents will be dug out for discussion.” Teacher Zhang said: “I used to be mechanical and single minded. I separated my lesson plan from one to another. I have never thought that I should view a lesson as one part of a whole course and design it in a complete sense.”
Dreyfus brothers’ (1986: 28) pointed out the format of advancing process from a novice to an expert. When teacher escalated to the level of “proficient practitioner”, he has formed “know-how” knowledge and obtained holistic similarity recognition. An expert has a distinctive feature which is to carry out “deliberative rationality”. (Dreyfus & Dreyfus 1986:36) Therefore, if a teacher takes part in a reflective work, he is on the right track to be a competent or proficient teacher.

IV. Conclusion
This tentative workshop has received a number of recommendable suggestions for improvement. Teacher Yang expects to observe more teachers’ demonstration class, especially, on the part of their lesson plan. Teacher Wang suggests that teachers from other college will give a demonstration class as well. The participants have also expressed their strong wish for further development of the workshop. More importantly, a smooth operation of workshop is a key factor for its long survival. The workshop should be conducted on a regular base. Each college can take turns to organize a specialized session of the workshop. Interdisciplinary topics will be more welcome, for example, ICT (internet communication teaching) integrated course delivery, ICC (intercultural communicative competence) and TEFL, Cognitive knowledge and TEFL, Applied Linguistics and SLA (second language acquisition), TEFL assessment and curricula design.

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