What are their needs, both as a group and as individual learners?

There are some sources from which I collate the information; candidate information form, programme plan documentation, records of achievement and mostly the interview verbatim. Below I use bullet points to indicate the needs I have identified. Here, the word candidate will be replaced with teacher since all the candidates are indeed a teacher. - As a group From the resume on the candidate information form, I found out that half of the teachers have no educational background. The team of school principals observes a significant need for pedagogical understanding. They said those without a background in education tend to question whether they should make the lesson plan and follow it, assess the students based on planned indicators, or teach the students differently. In their opinion, these teachers are lacking motivation to some degree and therefore need to be inspired by the concept of teacher as a designer. The current template of programme plan the teachers are following excludes the method of evaluation. It means they dont get used to making plans for continuous evaluation at the design stage. They havent built opportunities for such evaluation into their plan thus far. However, planning evaluation at this stage can be encouraged through learning from experiences as a reflective practitioner. Some students in secondary school dont feel like to learn a particular subject matter. According to the principal of secondary school, the problem is because the students see the learning as meaningless and out of context. He said, Its needed now more than ever for teachers to draw the attention of students from start to finish. In order to do so, they should care about the students prerequisite of the topic and view it as an integral part of their action planning. If they can bring forth the prerequisite, the next step would be making the topic relevant to the students benefits. He added that unless a teacher is creative, he/she wont be able to think of the thread and develop it. His point is this, Without a proper link between prerequisite and relevancy, meaningful learning wont happen. Consequently, drawing and holding students interest in study wont prosper. The level coordinators agree that most of the teachers are undertaking the Diploma for the sake of their own qualification. In their view, the teachers would seek to align their personal development with the institutions bare intention of giving them the access to the Diploma. The truth is, the teachers hope to, by completing the Diploma, gain a position of trust. We knew for a fact (recorded on the achievement report) that they are making good progress. Under our discussion, the coordinators indeed proposed a clear and transparent career plan to follow up on the Diploma. If a further action connected with the Diploma is solid, it will give them a strong reason to feel appreciated and be certain what theyre doing is an added-value that the people in authority will highly utilize. I discovered only two teachers ever kept a personal development diary. The first teacher did it in the form of daily report to her former chairman, whilst the second made it in her TESOL. But for the time being, the diary is no longer in use. For them and the other teachers to perceive diary to be an invaluable source, they need to face up to the fact that unless diary-keeping practice is habitually

enforced, its never going to be proven genuinely useful to them. Their mentality towards personal development diary has to shift through deliberate exercises. Still, helping each student to concentrate in extremely heterogeneous classroom is tough. This challenge is pretty much the same at any grade level. At first I dont think its on request, but on average the participating teachers crave the Best Practices in differentiation and general classroom instruction. They have questions about methods of giving support to individual learners in a group situation. Another thing is about the need for flexibility in the progress of the session. The teachers said there are times where the lessons were meticulously run or allencompassing. They are over ambitious for the planned contents and activities. Thats how I think its necessary to recognise the types of adaptations and interventions. If a teacher is sufficiently flexible and sensitive to the arising needs, he/she will improve the effectiveness of learning. The integration of technology in the lesson is always in great demand. The Math and Science teachers to just show students the concept, they sometimes experience the lack or even unready availability of material that the students cannot perform. What they want is to improvise by making virtual presentation to teach concept out of existing materials. Meanwhile, the English teachers are also thinking more on the technology skill for facilitating more interesting and lively learning so as to really catch the attention of students. Students are by some means passive or less inquisitive during the learning activities. One of the reasons is because the students dont get used to higherlevel thinking. Making activities more active and creative, teachers need to relearn themselves the order of thinking, the basics of critical thinking and practise asking higher-level thinking questions and writing formative assessments with critical thinking questions. One teacher responsible for Biology lesson at Secondary level has been using students weekly journal as feedback. He can share how he has benefited from collection of learners feedback, in ways appropriate to his students and context. I think of channelling learner feedback issues, ideas or practices for teachers to discuss, adopt or develop. I hope from this Diploma Im not only learning how to teach the kids but also how to listen to them as friend. The elementary teacher bringing up this expectation was concerned for troubled students whose parents spent less time to care about parenting. Since identifying feelings of such students is a fundamental part of listening, we have agreed to elaborate on active listening techniques in response to this common issue. English language teachers of middle level also share a bit of their contemporary needs. The following excerpt is the most representative. It says, Definitely as we start our programme, we would stick with contextualizing, finding the meaning along the instructional process. We do not focus on the reading, we focus on the concept it brings out. Just the concept and then shift to local context since the Cambridge textbook were using contains knowledge that is far-fetched from that of the students. Whats really important is to get the concept and then apply it to local context. There the students can be active. But we want to prepare and compile teaching

materials that somehow localize the context presented in the book which they can really relate to thus will enhance their retention. We also deal particularly with structured writing say if had to do free writing, like how were going to start with a very basic in writing In Mathematics and Science, some slow learners show a so-called helpless orientation. They have a mental block telling them the two subjects are difficult. So, how will I change that mindset? one of the concerned teachers asked. We understand that improving students self-efficacy is a big role. Theres also a misconception that the best practice for improving self-efficacy is by one-to-one coaching. For example, a grade-3 Math teacher, in the meantime merely applies personal coaching though on some occasions its quite time consuming and less effective. So, needed here are the strategies that can help students who feel like failures gain confidence. - As individual learners The performance of a first-year elementary teacher was highlighted during my interview with the principal. Currently teaching in grade 3 and 4, he is not very detailed towards the students. He, without giving clear guidance expects the students to take note by themselves. He is very smart though but he talks as a lecturer. He needs a lot of inputs on how to interact with young learners. Under some circumstances, a grade 3 teacher is not sure whether she can focus on the Diploma. Taking medication for her liver, she said she cant be too tired. At the present 30 teaching hours per week is pretty tiring to her. Besides, she is also afraid she might not be able to constantly attend the face-to-face meeting with two reasons: 1. Giving tuition at the weekend; 2. Spending time with her children since she has no time for them on weekdays, especially with her mother who had uterus surgery recently. Two elementary teachers are struggling with classroom management because there are intractable students who like to interrupt, stand up without asking for permission and leave the classroom as they pleased. Actually, these problem behaviours require only minor interventions. But the two teachers need to describe their approach. It is important that they deal with them in a timely, effective manner to help build a good character. Theres a participating teacher that cant fully afford the Diploma course, whereas he is completely dedicated to upgrading his professional teaching skills. For it is the secondary school principal who has recommended him to partake in the Diploma, he will receive a substantial school subsidy.

Your programme plan

For the Diploma for Teachers and Trainers: please submit a plan for all 4 modules For the Certificate for Teachers and Trainers: please submit a plan for all 3 units
Programme title Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers

Aims

Understand the key concepts and content of the CIDTT (Diploma) qualification Recognize the principles of design and practice to form a sequential program with a clear continuing thread Appreciate the importance of innovation in designing learning programmes and learning sessions Consider how using effective teaching and learning methods helps improve the quality of the learners learning Recognize how using effective assessment techniques helps learners develop their learning Develop a habit of evaluating their professional skills and practice Encourage their keenness and enthusiasm for the reflective cycle to continue developing professionally beyond the Diploma course

Learning objectives

MODULE 1 Session 1 Relate the key concepts of the CIDTT qualification to help understand teaching and learning Design programme plan aims and objectives to extend professional thinking and practice Consider the range of methods to identify the learning needs of learners, both as individuals and as a group Match learning methods with identified learning objectives and needs Session 2 Plan and prepare a learning programme to meet syllabus requirements and learners needs Plan and prepare learning sessions that facilitate differentiated active learning Session 3 Relate the objectives of performance observation and the needs for observation Plan and prepare for the observation of teaching and learning using the appropriate tools Consider the range of methods to obtain learner feedback Design learner feedback that will help them coordinate and implement the evaluation strategies with their students Session 1 Identify key strength and areas for improvement of existing teaching practice Adapt and develop ideas for activities to foster learners curiosity and creativity Provide further tools to learners to help them be more active and creative Point out the essentials of presentation made by a really convincing presenter Describe the principles and practices involved in the design, production and effective use of AV and handouts Develop improvisational skills and recognise these as a key attribute of any teacher Map activities on professional growth plan to help teachers capitalize on the information learned from the

MODULE 2

processes of performance observation Session 2 Set the scene of learning to help students achieve flow Use questioning more effectively to stretch students critical thinking Experiment with the techniques for managing the classroom Consider the methods of giving support to individual learners in a group situation Experiment with the strategies for improving students self-efficacy Relate good feedback principles and practice to promote student learning Consider the methods of interpreting students feedback Develop student responses and suggestions for further questions or dialogue arising from their experience of the learning programme Module 3 Session 1 Consider common misconceptions about assessment Compare and contrast of the three roles of assessment in the classroom; pre-assessment, formative, and summative Recognize the advantages and disadvantages of the range of formative assessment methods Provide some practical questions and evidence to gauge the validity, reliability and workability of formative assessments Identify the intended content and cognitive level of learning of their programme plan to create a good test Write test items and construct a scoring key and/or rubric that are applicable to learner needs and learning objectives Consider the methods of analysing quantitative and qualitative data for effective comments and reports Use guiding principle in providing formative feedback to foster students abilities to self-assess

Session 3

Session 2

Consider a range of possible summative assessment methods and its suitability for the activities Consider the procedures of designing own summative assessment (e.g. in relation to the learning objectives of programme plan) Design summative assessment task including mark schemes that are effective and fit for purpose Analyse and interpret the data from the summative assessment task to identify teaching-learning issues Consider the methods of managing feedback to learners for the formative and summative assessments Consider the range of methods for keeping records Recognize security issues that they take care to store assessment results securely Consider the range of methods to interpret and analyse assessment data/records with accuracy and care Arrange for providing constructive feedback to parents, colleagues, and stakeholders to deal with further questions Use assessment information with parents, colleagues, and external stakeholders

Session 3

Module 4 Session 1 Consider a range of methods to generate material from professionals, e.g. colleagues Consider the methods in practice used to collate and process the learner feedback Analyse the issues (from evaluation data) raised by the sources and collation of self-evaluation Prepare and take a written plan for evaluation of the structure, balance and content of their current programme plan (use a wide range of evaluation techniques and how are you going to take the ideas of your colleagues forward or how are you going to use external evaluators views and comments) Session 2 Reflect on own practice to improve teaching practice and the learners learning Prepare and take a planned approach to evaluating own professional practice

Use external evaluator and learner feedback as evaluation Recognize how using goal setting helps focus own professional development Identify and prioritise professional and personal development goals Consider how to bring goals into a professional development plan Draw up a professional development plan to realise skills and goals Outline the ways to implement the plan and then evaluate the outcomes of it (use and update the professional development plan) Recognize how using critical review on evaluation feedback of own progress and achievement helps establish a personal approach which suits own needs Innovate in their practice and encourage learners to use their creative skills Plan and prepare for on-going implementation of outcomes of professional development plan

Session 3