Page 178 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education

Identifying the Target Needs of Non-Native Subject Teachers

… [W]e expect our teachers to be very proficient in classroom language, to have a good command of
field terminology, and to able to explain their subjects clearly.(GD)

He did not clearly mention what this classroom language or field terminology might include or what
the subject teachers should do to clearly explain their subjects. However, it could be assumed that the
educational institution puts emphasis on those competencies related to learning and teaching process
and knowledge of content. Therefore, the data he provided might indicate those necessities regarding
various skills and knowledge related to these competencies such as beginning and ending the lesson,
language of classroom management and spontaneous situations, giving feedback, exemplifying a topic,
summarizing the main points and etc.
At this stage, the data derived from the other key stakeholders (CM, PSs, HDs) supported the inter-
pretation made above about the necessities, which were just briefly mentioned by the GD. Being the
designer and implementers of the course, they stated what these subject teachers should be able to do in
English in their work places, which could be linked to six categories of general teacher competencies as
described by the Turkish National Ministry of Education (MEB, 2006) including personal and profes-
sional values-professional development, knowing the student, learning and teaching process, monitoring
and evaluation of learning and development, school-family and society relationships, and knowledge of
curriculum and content. Table 5 shows the target situation tasks identified by these participants and the
general teacher competencies they may be classified into.
These findings show that subject teachers need to possess pedagogical, professional, personal and
social competencies, all carried out in English. The interviewees touched upon a wide range of tasks
related to target situation. They cited some tasks similar to the ones listed by Richards (2010 cited in Low,
Chong, & Ellis, 2014). However, as Table 5 clearly shows, they reported more detailed and individual
occupational tasks unique to their working place as well and they are those necessities related to the
competency areas of learning/teaching process, personal and professional values-professional develop-
ment, and school-family relationship.

Table 5. Target situation tasks as identified by language course coordinators and staff members

General categories Target situation tasks Participant Codes
Learning/ • Presenting a subject (a lesson) in class CM,HD1, 2, 3, 4, 5, PS 2
Teaching Process • Writing questions for my subject (for exams etc.) HD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, S 1, 3
• Preparing posters and notices CM, HD 1, 5, PS 1, 3
• Writing the roll book CM, HD 5, PS 2, PS 3
• Reading the materials of the lesson to prepare a lesson CM, HD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, S 1
• Reading web sites on my field (blog, wiki, forum etc.) CM, HD 5, PS 3
• Listening to videos and audios related to my field to prepare a lesson CM, HD 5, PS 1
Personal and • Presenting a subject in department meetings CM, HD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
professional • Reading books, articles on my field CM, HD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
values-professional • Conversing with supervisors CM, HD 3, 5
development • Reading web sites on my field (blog, wiki, forum etc.) CM, HD 5
• Writing a CV CM, HD 5
• Understanding the teacher’s book and its audio files CM, HD 5
• Listening to complementary files of books (video and audio files) CM, HD 5
• Listening to videos and audios related to my field for professional
development CM, HD 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, PS 1,
• Commenting on colleagues’ presentations HD 5, PS 2

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