Presented By Josephine Cox

Session Details

 

This is an autobiographical diary study based on my first semester as an ICELT Trainer at Bilkent University School of English Language.  It revealed parallels between developmental stages of novice teachers and novice trainers, specifically in ELT and also in education faculties. It is an example the importance of reflective journal writing for both teacher and trainer development.

I kept a weekly journal for approximately four months after joining the Teacher Training Unit at Bilkent University School of English language, in Ankara, Turkey.  Initially, I wrote accounts of my observations of colleagues during sessions and pre/post conferences in an attempt to imitate them.  Gradually, as my responsibilities increased and I began to reflect on my own performance in sessions and pre/post conferences, I was able to question my colleagues' styles and slowly develop my own style.  However, I was plagued by feelings of being an imposter as I felt I was expected to "impart my vast knowledge on my tutees."  My focus was very much centred on myself and my delivery style was very teacher-centred.  It seems I had forgotten the very constructivist principles that underlined my classroom teaching.  As my tutees struggled with a new profession, I was also in the same boat.  However, the journal helped to be aware of this, something my tutees lacked.  Like a doctor recognising the symptoms, I was able to treat myself and set goals for development.  The literature specifically related to ELT trainers is quite scarce; however, I could draw strong parallels between stages novice teachers typically go through and feelings felt by new teacher educators in education faculties. What is more, this invaluable experience helped me identify with my novice teachers.   I was able to draw up reflection tools to help myself and other new trainers develop.  I hope other trainers will share their experiences with me.  

About Josephine Cox

Bilkent University School of English Language (BUSEL)  cox@bilkent.edu.tr 

Background
I had my first taste of being a trainer from running leadership development courses in outdoor recreation for youth at the Winnipeg YM-YWCA and in rural northern communities in Manitoba, Canada. In 1995, I began my ELT career in Lyon, France where I taught English for professional purposes. I was the multimedia/CALL manager for a large private school in Paris for 3 years. During this time my role as an ELT trainer began specifically within the field of CALL and materials writing for CALL. In 2003, I began training new recruits while branching into teaching English for academic purposes. Since moving to Turkey and BUSEL in 2005, I have been involved in training as a mentor teacher and ICELT tutor.

Current responsibilities
As an ICELT tutor, I help design courses, plan and deliver input sessions, observe and assess the progress of ICELT participants in the classroom, and mark assignments. I am also in the BUSEL classroom one day a week.

Areas of Interest
With regards to ELT, I am currently doing research on trainer development i.e. the path from Teacher to Trainer. Other interests include learner and teacher autonomy and developing language proficiency among non-native English speaker teachers.

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