Language teachers’ professional development (TPD) has been regarded as a process that started from teachers’ training at tertiary education and continues in jobembedded learning activities for teachers at their school. Many researchers have found a wide range of professional learning activities used in both several Western and Asian countries. This casestudy data came from different sources including the interview with the principal, the questionnaire for Englishlanguage teachers, class observation, and documents to identify nine activities used to promote English language teachers’ PD in one secondary school in Hong Linh province in Vietnam. These activities are described in detail and linked to the typical characteristics of the social, economic, cultural, and political context of Vietnam that can provide some implications for educational policymakers, leaders, and teachers themselves.
The International Journal of Adult, Community, and Professional Learning Implemented Activities of English Language Teachers’ Professional Development A Case Study in Hong Linh Province in Vietnam HAI-NGOC TRAN AND HONG-THU THI NGUYEN THELEARNER.COM Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 VOLUME 26 ISSUE EDITORS ACTING DIRECTOR OF PUBLISHING Jeremy Boehme, Common Ground Research Networks, USA MANAGING EDITOR Crystal Lasky Robinson, Common Ground Research Networks, USA ADVISORY BOARD The Learner Research Network recognizes the contribution of many in the evolution of the Research Network The principal role of the Advisory Board has been, and is, to drive the overall intellectual direction of the Research Network A full list of members can be found at https://thelearner.com/about/advisory-board PEER REVIEW Articles published in The International Journal of Adult, Community and Professional Learning are peer reviewed using a two-way anonymous peer review model 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publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Bill Cope, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA Mary Kalantzis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA José Luis Ortega, University of Granada, Spain Implemented Activities of English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: A Case Study in Hong Linh Province in Vietnam Abstract: Language teachers’ professional development (TPD) has been regarded as a process that started from teachers’ training at tertiary education and continues in job-embedded learning activities for teachers at their school Many researchers have found a wide range of professional learning activities used in both several Western and Asian countries This case-study data came from different sources including the interview with the principal, the questionnaire for English-language teachers, class observation, and documents to identify nine activities used to promote English language teachers’ PD in one secondary school in Hong Linh province in Vietnam These activities are described in detail and linked to the typical characteristics of the social, economic, cultural, and political context of Vietnam that can provide some implications for educational policymakers, leaders, and teachers themselves Keywords: English Language Teachers, Professional Development Activities Introduction T eacher professional development (TPD), which includes the processes and activities designed to improve or enhance the professional job-related knowledge, skills, or attitudes of teachers so that they, in turn, can design instructional programs to improve student learning (Guskey 2000; Loucks-Horsley et al 1998), is considered to be a significant part in students’ learning improvements and school achievements For the last few decades, four important trends have emerged in the global literature on language teacher professional development (TPD) First, the role of language teachers’ professional learning is as equally important as pre-service teacher training at institutions of higher education (Lieberman and Mace 2008) Second, the traditional view of language TPD including “in-service workshops” and certificate/degree upgrading programs has moved to more school-based learning activities (Opfer and Pedder 2011; Webster-Wright 2009) Third, TPD is taking place in learning communities (Little 2012) Finally, TPD has a central place in sustainable educational reforms (Fullan 2011; Lieberman and Mace 2008; Ping, Schellings, and Beijaard 2018) This research was carried out within these developments in a secondary school in a district in Hong Linh province in Vietnam, where there have been very little scholarly contributions to the world literature in teacher training The research question is, “What are the activities of Englishlanguage teachers’ professional development for better teaching and learning implemented in a secondary school in a district in Hong Linh province in Vietnam?” This paper presents a case study of a single secondary school in Hong Linh province Qualitative data were collected from the school principal using interview, questionnaires for English language teachers, direct observation of TPD at school, and document analysis The paper aims to enrich the world literature on English-language teachers’ PD and recommends several solutions for educational policymakers, leaders, principals, and teachers in Hong Linh province in particular and in Vietnam in general Corresponding Author: Hai-Ngoc Tran, No 449, 26 March St., Institute of Continuous Training, Ha Tinh University, Ha Tinh City, Hà Tĩnh Province, 05119, Vietnam email: ngoc.tranhai@htu.edu.vn The International Journal of Adult, Community and Professional Learning Volume 26, Issue 2, 2019, https://thelearner.com © Common Ground Research Networks, Hai-Ngoc Tran, Hong-Thu Thi Nguyen All Rights Reserved Permissions: cgscholar.com/cg_support ISSN: 2328-6318 (Print), ISSN: 2328-6296 (Online) https://doi.org/10.18848/2328-6318/CGP/v26i02/27-41 (Article) Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Hai-Ngoc Tran, Ha Tinh University, Vietnam Hong-Thu Thi Nguyen, Hanoi Law University, Vietnam THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Over the last few decades, the emphasis in research and practice on language teacher education has shifted toward teacher professional learning that is multi-faceted and job-embedded (Vescio, Ross, and Adams 2008; Webster-Wright 2009) Thus, today language teacher training is viewed on a continuum that begins during pre-service teacher training and continues throughout the teachers’ teaching job (Kwakman 2003; Little 2012) Research on language teacher professional learning has concluded that it is an ongoing process by which language teachers get new subject knowledge, responsibilities, and teaching method skills (Lai, Li, and Gong 2016; Yurtsever 2013; Opfer and Pedder 2011; Ping, Schellings, and Beijaard 2018) When successful, teacher development not only results in enhanced capacities for teaching and learning because teachers’ growth and development impinges upon student learning and achievement in particular and school improvement in general (Correnti 2007; Newmann, King, and Youngs 2000) Meissel, Par, and Timperley (2016, 169) even state that “quality teaching makes a difference in student learning…The professional learning of teachers is a central factor in determining the quality of teaching.” Opfer and Pedder (2011) and others have tried to provide professional learning activities for language teachers Two typical types of language TPD have different activities that occur inside, such as school-based workshops or observations of other teachers, as well as outside the school, such as workshops or degree/certificate upgrading programs Researchers have also differentiated professional learning on an individual basis, such as self-study or online learning, or in a group or community setting, such as teacher research group or team observation Finally, language TPD has been distinguished by voluntary engagement in the activity of the teachers or by external forces such as the principal, district, or provincial educational authorities as well as whether it is mandatory or voluntary This different perspective toward language TPD has led researchers or teachers to explore opportunities by which language teachers learn at their workplace (Timperley 2011) The professional learning of language teachers can take place via formal structures such as professional development programs, teacher research groups, observations of other teachers, mentoring, and coaching (Little 2012; Timperley 2011; Webster-Wright 2009) Teachers also learn through informal interactions when they engage in collaborative shared assessment and informal discussions (Little 2012) Workplace norms also shape teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward TPD in schools (Rosenholtz 1989; Tran, Hallinger, and Truong 2018) Researchers from several East Asian societies such as China, Hong Kong, Singapore, or Thailand have also mentioned socio-cultural aspects on understanding teachers’ attitudes toward collaboration and professional learning Confucian norms—including hierarchical social relationships and other beliefs (Borton 2000; Vasavakul 2019; Nguyen 1984), which are evident in many East Asian nations—make teachers believe in learning for a better future For example, in Vietnamese culture, a good or perfect person is not only professionally competent but also displays moral qualities that are in harmony with Confucian norms (Dalton et al 2001; Vasavakul 2019) This creates the identity of the “good teacher,” which seeks continued learning and development in terms of both moral qualities (duc) and subject knowledge and teaching skills (tai) (Nguyen 2003) This feature has also been observed in Hong Kong (Hallinger and Liu 2016), Thailand (Somprach, Tang, and Popoonsak 2016), Singapore (Hairon and Dimmock 2012), and mainland China (Qian and Allen 2013; Wang 2016) In Vietnam, TPD of teachers in general, and language teachers in particular, is interpreted as a part of the teacher’s personal development, professional identity, responsibility and growth 28 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Theoretical Perspective TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Method A case study research design was used in this study (Yin 2014) It was a means of finding out different activities of language TPD in a secondary school in Hong Linh province in Central Vietnam In this section of the paper, the sample selection, the methods of data collection, and data analysis for this study will be described The purposeful sampling, designed to yield “information-rich cases whose study will illuminate the questions under study” (Patton 2015, 169), is applied in this study This school was identified to be effective by the district education authorities, DETS, based on the achievements of teachers’ achievements such as the number of good teachers’ titles, the students’ achievements, and so on This secondary school—Cam Thanh—is located in a rural commune in Cam Xuyen district, Hong Linh province This school educates pupils living in the agricultural commune Most members are involved with growing rice, pigs, and chickens However, according to the principal, because of their traditional fondness for learning, parents often encourage their children in education The school reports showed that teachers and pupils of this school have gained many awards such as the excellent school of the district certificates in recent years Cam Thanh is one of the leading secondary schools in Cam Xuyen district according to DETS For the purpose of the study, the principal and five English-language teachers were selected to participate in this data collection process Data Collection Data presented in this paper came from semi-structured interviews with the principal, open-ended questionnaires completed by fives teachers, and our direct observation of professional development activities at Cam Thanh School Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain information about the principal’s perspectives and leadership practices and the nature of professional learning activities for English language teachers at school (Patton 2015) Teachers’ perspectives were collected from an open-ended questionnaire that focused on English-language teachers’ needs and motivations as well as professional development activities used in their school All five questionnaires distributed at the faculty meeting were returned (100% response rate) To gain further details and check on what had been reported in the interview and questionnaires, teacher professional development activities were also observed over a period of two and half months—nearly an academic term These observations offered multiple perspectives and enabled the use of triangulation as a means of checking the credibility of different perceptions (Patton 2015) Data Analysis The “within-case analysis” was used in this case study, including developing detailed write-ups for Cam Thanh School (Patton 2015; Yin 2014) Analytical procedures first involved coding data based on the different data sources After completing the case record, we reanalyzed the data focusing specifically on identification of English-language TPD activities employed in Cam Thanh School Open coding and axial coding were used in order to generate both lists of activities within which they were utilized (e.g., provided externally or school-based, jobembedded or taught) 29 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Sample THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Cam Thanh School employed many professional development activities for English-language teachers They can be divided into two categories: external and internal The activities outside the school, initiated by Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), Provincial Education and Training Service Department (PETS), or District Education and Training Service Department (DETS), included workshops and courses, “good teacher competitions,” and degree upgrading The school-based internal activities comprised the following: weekly professional meetings, class visits (observations), yearly scientific studies or experienced initiatives, seminars, coachingmentoring, and self-learning We could identify nine professional development activities in which English-language teachers engaged at the school We classified these into two groups based on the nature of activities: external and school-based activities External Professional Development Activities Workshops and Short-Time Courses These are the most common type of professional development for English teachers, organized by DETS or PETS They occur at a scheduled time, often after school, during the weekend, or during the summer During the time of the educational forms since 2010, including textbook replacement for the sixth and seventh grades and teaching-method forms, there were more intensive workshops and courses These were designed to enable teachers to study the new curriculum and new teaching methods (student-centered teaching approach) According to Principal Hoa, only one or two out of five English teachers attend courses during the academic year because the others have to teach It is usually the group leader who attends and who will train the rest of the teachers after the workshops Summer workshops were obligatory for all teachers regardless of age, gender, or experience; however, teachers could be absent if their reasons were approved by relevant authorities Following the workshops and courses, teachers were encouraged to disseminate and apply the new learning in their classrooms Principal Hoa said, “observing and being observed are promoted for teachers to get feedback and exchange experiences From that, new knowledge is gained, and new techniques are trialed.” She realized this when she noted, “I think that those workshops and courses are necessary, especially those relating to the English subject textbook replacement and teaching methodology reform at present to meet the requirements of MOET However, it is more important that the new knowledge learning from those workshops and courses is applied successfully to our classrooms Thus, follow-up activities for drawing experiences are valued and encouraged.” Almost the teachers had similar views For example, one teacher wrote, “when we attended the workshop, we did not have much time for demonstration and practice because there were too many people at the workshop Those workshops gave more focus on specialists just giving presentations, rather than conducting demonstrations We need demonstrations because we really learn when we try these new skills learnt from such demonstrations, observe and being observed at our classes in the school Those experiences are valuable to us as active learning” (Teacher [T1]) Degree Upgrading Degree upgrading was used in this school; however, “younger teachers are more interested in the degree upgrading strategy than older counterparts” (T2) Although the required degree for lowersecondary-school teachers involved a three-year training, through the interview and questionnaires, it became evident that there was a tendency among younger teachers to continue upgrading their certification to university degrees They explained that they were still young, and 30 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Results TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT they wanted to upgrade before they became older and busier with their family A three-year parttime course for upgrading took a long time and posed many difficulties It involved spending five days at school and two days on the upgrading class This made them stressed and tired: “this is much harder for female teachers because they have to take care of their families and their children” (T2) Thus, Principal Hoa said, she has encouraged and supported those teachers during their certification upgrading For example, “when our teachers have classes or tests on weekdays, other teachers are assigned to replace them After they have completed their course, graduates are often praised for their great efforts and awarded a small gift as recognition from the school.” According to school reports, all the five teachers are university degree-holders now “Good teacher” competitions were organized by the PETS and DETS English teachers in this school also registered to sit for competitions “Good teacher” titles were targeted by almost all teachers; however, it took teachers a long time and a good deal of energy to reach that objective They needed to be good teachers at a lower level before registering to participate in the competition for the higher title As usual, after being recognized as good teachers at the school level for two or three years, those teachers were encouraged to register to sit for the good teacher competition at the district level The same procedures were followed by good teachers at the district level who wanted to get a higher title (at the provincial or PETS level) According to the school reports, there was only one good teacher at the provincial level, two good teachers at the district level, three at the school level The “good teacher” title does not last for long If teachers want to maintain this title, they need to attain it twice consecutively This is desirable but very challenging, according to the teachers Teachers’ comments, for example, were “we had much eagerness and motivation, together with pressures and challenges when taking part in good teacher competitions…Sometimes, we felt exhausted for spending a lot of time, energy, and intellect to get the title” (T2 and T4) Not all teachers want to register for these competitions Some were reluctant because of pressures or the difficulty level Candidates had to spend almost the whole school year trying to meet the three main criteria before being recognized as “good teachers”—passing the competition (written English-language proficiency test and taught lessons), having good students of the same or above level, and having their scientific studies or experienced initiatives recognized as being of a good standard by the equivalent management level (DETS or PETS) When candidates failed, they felt ashamed; a sense of “losing face,” as a feature of Confucian influence, is often overwhelming for them That is why one teacher in their mid-forties wrote, “I have been recognized as a good teacher at DETS level for five times, and now I am bored with taking part Many pressures and stresses are on me Sometimes, I only register because I respect the principal and so for the good of the school, I have to register In fact, I not want to” (T3) Usually, experienced and competent teachers who are not young are asked to sit for these competitions to ensure the likelihood of success School-Based Professional Learning Activities Weekly Professional Meetings According to the principal, weekly meetings were organized around groups of subjects There were two main departments: nature and society According to the school documents, the nature department consisted of the following subjects: math, physics, chemistry, English, and biology There were six subjects in the society department: literature, history, geography, civic education, music, and physical education Teachers of lower-secondary schools were often in charge of teaching two closely related subjects: math-physics, math-chemistry, literature-history, literaturegeography, and so on At the college, teachers had been trained to be able to teach two closely 31 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 “Good Teacher” Title Competitions related subjects; however, there are not enough teachers to teach subjects such as civic education and technical subjects Therefore, one teacher may need to teach more than two subjects until they made up eighteen periods per week Every Thursday afternoon (teachers of this school had to teach only in the morning), teachers gathered first at all-school staff meeting for about half an hour or an hour and then met in subject sections to discuss professional matters in detail The principal said she tried to have short meetings for the whole staff to keep them informed of matters such as the date of “good teacher” or student competitions The observations revealed that teachers also liked the shorter staff meetings and longer professional meetings in their subject sections During the observation time, most topics for professional meetings were related to textbook replacement, class visits, and teaching-methodology reform because MOET demanded all professional matters focusing on textbook replacement and teaching-methodology reform to achieve success Teachers were interested in discussing and exchanging ideas on specific lessons in the textbooks including the procedures of the lesson and how to encourage students to actively engage in class activities These were very important for teachers because of the new emphasis, as Principal Hoa said “Now, the student-centered approach encouraged students to actively take part more in pair-work and group-work More practice for students and promotion of students’ creativity are also the target of the reform So, it is understandable that English teachers need to work harder because English is more and more vital.” Teachers also discussed how they applied the new teaching methods in their classes and how it has worked “We try to learn more about the new textbooks and teaching method in order to become familiar with those changes and to teach better We have many discussions about that I feel as if I have made progress after attending these activities” (T4) We witnessed many discussions, even heated debates, among teachers on professional matters It appeared that, sometimes, only collegial and hierarchical relationships in the Vietnamese culture could keep teachers together after such very “strong” discussions Mutual respect and a caring attitude allowed them to focus on professional matters and prevented them from leading to negative discussions such as pessimism on the policy of textbook replacement and teaching-methodology reform Of course, heated discussions are compromised between teachers and oldest or team leader had a significant role in mediating the conflicts This collaboration provided an ongoing dialogue about professional development, as one teacher with ten years’ teaching experience wrote, “we learned what is expected partly through working with colleagues in the professional meetings What the principal talks about, including textbook replacement and teaching method reform, matches what we talk about in the meetings, which matches our planning, which matches the overall objectives, but there is still flexibility within all these things” (T1) Observations The principal and the teachers agreed that class visits were regularly used in this school It was a regulation that each teacher had to observe at least one lesson each week Teachers of other subjects were also encouraged by the management board to observe one another Principal Hoa said, “I believe that observing and being observed are both helpful and important, especially for teachers in general and English teachers in particular at this educational level No teacher is perfect A teaching teacher’s error can be prevented by learning from his or her colleagues’ errors Thus, every teacher can learn something useful from his/her colleagues, even errors.” Almost all teachers agreed with the principal’s ideas Teachers observed one another, and they could exchange experiences and ideas both in terms of subject knowledge and teaching skills (such as class management, lesson procedures, and so on) Observations were frequently encouraged on special occasions such as the Communist Party’s Birthday, Vietnamese Teachers’ Day, or International Women’s Day, as educational leaders would like to welcome such important celebrations After observations, teachers were given time to discuss and provide 32 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING feedback to evaluate experiences by clarifying the good points and weak points, which need improving in the future Many teachers, especially young ones, regarded this activity as useful because they linked it with topics discussed at professional meetings or from workshops Trying new ideas and techniques in classes, observation, following discussions, and experience drawn from application should be a necessary, helpful, and ideal cycle of professional development for teachers This does not run as smoothly and effectively as desired For example, our field notes documented that there were two teachers observing an English lesson for Class 7A during the birthday of the Communist Party, but only two teachers gathered to discuss the observation Two others had classes, and one was busy observing another lesson During these occasions, one teacher could observe more than two lessons a day Missing teachers could not contribute their opinions to the observed teachers’ lessons and, in turn, they could not learn much from others This shortcoming was also realized by Principal Hoa She explained, “I know this…but it is difficult to organize it better Teachers register to have their classes observed and the teacher leader of the department writes the time on the notice board Other teachers just arrange their time to observe those lessons Although teachers cannot learn very much from those observed lessons if they not take part in discussions after observing, I think they can still learn more or less from those observations.” Many teachers found it difficult to ask other teachers for permission to observe their lessons Several reasons can be found, as in this young teacher’s writing “When you are observed, you have to prepare more carefully than usual You also have to divide the steps of the lesson more specifically In addition, you are more nervous when being observed When you see someone there looking at your actions and taking notes, it is not comfortable at all It is also uncomfortable to wait for comments during the discussion after the observation” (T5) We also witnessed a male teacher refusing a young female teacher permission when she asked to observe his lesson After hearing her suggestion, he laughed, saying, “maybe another time I have not prepared carefully today, and this lesson is not interesting at all It is a math exercises practice lesson” (field notes, January 18, 2019) It is more challenging when teachers are observed for assessment The principal, the deputy principal, the teacher leader, and other teachers could be observers Observed lessons are graded as A (good), B (credit), or C (average) These observed lessons contribute to the final grading of a teacher at the end of the school year Thus, the discussions after observation were not always helpful Young teachers “often had few ideas or kept silent to the lessons of older or more experienced counterparts with many rewards” (T2) One young teacher explained, “older and good teachers often teach better than us We just listen to learn from the older teachers” (T5) Our observation confirmed this We believe that the sense of hierarchical thinking and “losing face” in the Vietnamese culture is evident here in the attitude of the young teacher when the young teacher did not want to have comments on an older counterpart’s mistakes (see, for example, Borton 2000; Vasavakul 2019) If an older teacher makes mistakes or receives negative comments—and, therefore, a B or C grade—they feel ashamed in front of the young teachers Yearly Scientific Studies or Experienced Initiatives English teachers at this school are required to write about scientific studies or experienced initiatives every school year The experienced initiatives activity is more appropriate because teachers not have much time or money to spend on conducting real research Moreover, many teachers did not know how to conduct research Principal Hoa stated, “indeed, older teachers like me were not taught how to conduct a study because at the time, our country was at the war against the American invasion We were just trained to teach Younger teachers are also taught at universities and colleges but taught little, and it is not current They not know much except action research.” 33 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT However, this strategy makes teachers spend time on self-learning Teachers are encouraged to write a report on what they had done to improve a lesson or to explain their new findings The procedures of registering and assessing scientific studies or experienced initiatives for teachers at this school were required by MOET This strategy was not considered effective for teachers’ professional development within this school Four teachers indicated this Because it was done yearly as a criterion for good teacher’s title or ranking after an academic school year, teachers sometimes found it difficult to find relevant topics and areas for their experienced initiatives “I think sometimes, having a scientific study is not easy at all and even too formal It does not always relate closely to our everyday teaching in the class” (T2) However, according to two teachers, it is useful for teachers who write their own experiences like a form of action research: “besides reporting the useful practices and experiences to my colleagues in professional meetings, I want to write a report in written form to help others have a look at them in detail and in depth Today, we can get great support from the internet to this hard task” (T1) Seminars According to Principal Hoa, seminars are often organized in association with professional meetings Teachers are assigned to read books or professional journals to find about new topics or new knowledge This includes general knowledge and professional knowledge Teachers summarize or review the material Then, during the meeting, the teacher presents the material to his or her departmental colleagues Discussions are encouraged and questions are then asked to promote further understanding This encourages self-learning of teachers Teachers have to read books and journals to help them “improve the knowledge including life or professional experiences and practices” (T4) This could help teachers become more confident when speaking or talking in front of an audience Principal Hoa said that “this strategy is necessary for teachers in general and English teachers to self-study and to make our teachers become familiar with doing a presentation in front of others Because of the learning style our teachers have been used to, they are not confident in front of other people They are becoming better with this and with the help of the Internet today.” All five teachers wrote of the advantage of this strategy in their questionnaires Sometimes, the English teachers organize an English-speaking club for the students, or a seminar called hai hoa dan chu (“taking turns picking flowers”) Teachers take turns picking up a strip of paper (called a flower) and talk about the situation written on it It is useful when the questions relate to teaching professional knowledge such as teaching method situations or a language knowledge subject item It takes time to prepare for this kind of seminar, as Principal Hoa revealed “In order to have one [the kind of seminar], teachers have to think of questions Sometimes, they choose the topic, then, they ask all teachers to write out one or two suggested questions They gather then select and make a final list of questions and write them on strips of paper…In short, it is challenging for teachers to organize this But it is very interesting and worth doing.” All teachers had similar views They noted the usefulness of this activity so that all can attend They also wrote that they did not have much time to prepare for this Coaching-Mentoring When a new English-language teacher is recruited, a more experienced and competent teacher is appointed as the newcomer’s mentor The mentor is responsible for instructing the new teacher in professional matters The new teacher can observe his or her mentor’s lessons He or she can ask questions relating to lesson plans, curriculum, and so on New teachers of less than two years teaching must observe other teachers’ lessons at least twice a week According to the principal, observations are useful for new teachers because they are often good at subject knowledge, but they are not very skilled in methods of teaching “They [novice teachers] should get used to real practice in the classroom and gain some more experience of teaching skills.” Novice teachers 34 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING agree with the principal One teacher wrote, “although I was taught English language teaching methods at college and got some practice with them during posting time, I need more experience with teaching methods These can be learnt through observing others’ lessons with the help of more experienced teachers” (T2) Mentors also help new teachers get used to the school culture and values more quickly and easily “I learned other teachers’ names and how to behave toward other older people more appropriately in this school by asking for my mentor’s help, and so on She is kind, out-going, enthusiastic, and experienced I learned a lot from her” (T3) Through other activities including observations, weekly professional meetings, and so on, coaching is set up, maintained, and improved Coaching is developed through discussions in the weekly professional meetings and after observing lessons According to Principal Hoa, teachers help one another to deal with many problems, mainly professional ones It is every teacher’s responsibility to help each other develop professional knowledge “We encourage teachers in general and English teachers in particular to help one another Constructive feedback and reflection are considered important for teacher growth We also remind our teachers ‘don’t get angry with other comments, we can learn much from those,’” stated Principal Hoa It is not easy to what should be done Because of the hierarchical relationships, it was not easy for a younger teacher to point out the weak points of older teachers in front of many other colleagues The older teachers, as usual, would have a sense of “losing face” in front of those people (Borton 2000) They would not accept other’s feedback, or they could even get angry with young teachers’ comments Many young teachers appeared to keep silent during these discussions, especially when asked to comment on older and more experienced teachers’ lessons Young teachers have determined their positions in the school through “right relationships” (Borton 2000) We witnessed this happen regularly during our visits to the school “Younger teachers seemed to try not to say bad points When being asked for an opinion of the observed lesson, they just made general comments about the good points such as ‘he/she was very confident…he/she controlled the class well and had good eliciting questions…Older teachers balanced the good points and points that could be improved next time” (field notes, February 2, 2019) The principal and teachers did not refer to these matters in their interview and questionnaires because it is a Vietnamese cultural aspect that tot khoe, xau che (“good things are revealed, bad things covered”) In other words, they should not make the social relationships worse because of professional matters This was, however, evident in the observations Self-Learning Self-learning was considered necessary for teachers in this school According to Principal Hoa, teachers were required to have a “cumulative professional knowledge notebook” or professional portfolios in which they wrote about what they had found useful These experiences may include a new phrase, interesting exercises, popular English songs, and so on They could be used for seminars as well “These [experiences] are not only useful to the teacher him/herself but also to his/her colleagues when he/she has a chance to share them.” One teacher wrote that, “several experiences in my notebook were used for seminars Last month, English teachers organized a seminar named ‘how to use English songs for teaching listening and speaking.’ It was successful, according to the principal and many teachers from other sections” (T1) The notebook is checked by the principal or deputy principal to see whether their teachers have taken responsibility for their self-learning Nevertheless, self-learning depends on a teacher’s sense of responsibility because notes and portfolios not reveal deep learning In addition, according to Principal Hoa, “it is difficult to know how much our teachers have learnt from the process of self-learning during a year.” Teachers acknowledged self-learning to be an important part of their professional development and they said they were dedicated to it and put effort into it One teacher wrote, “today, we are lucky to self-learn with the help of the Internet A good method of self-learning is 35 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING In recent years, the emphasis has been on English language TPD, and the quality of teachers’ teaching and pupils’ learning has improved very much This is reflected in the increased percentage of good pupils at DETS level (the number of students passing the DETS English contests for students from secondary schools in the district) and pupils’ achievements over the years Take for example, in the past, there were few good pupils at the district [or DETS] level, about twenty students each year In recent years, there are around ten students for English subject out of 130 to 150 good students at the district level and one or two students for English subject, out of five to seven at the provincial [PETS] level each year Not all strategies were as effective as desired Some worked better than others in particular situations Different methods complimented each other As Principal Hoa noted, “each strategy has its own strengths and weaknesses Those strategies support one another for better teaching and learning in the end.” Moreover, because of different needs, motivation, perceptions, capabilities, and other conditions of teachers, the effectiveness of particular strategies on teachers is different According to Principal Hoa, effectiveness can partly depend on the sense of responsibility, ability, enthusiasm, and creativity of each teacher Principal Hoa was conscious of the differences between teachers including those mentioned above I have to understand and master those differences, especially the difference in health, family situation, English competency and age in order to employ the strategies of teacher professional development in the most effective way For example, old teachers (three to five years of work left before retirement) are satisfied with their present state and they are not really eager to have long courses or certification upgrading A few want to but they can’t because of bad health, financial difficulties, and bad memory However, old teachers are still enthusiastic in other activities such as class visits, weekly professional meetings, experienced initiatives, and so on Meanwhile, young teachers are eager to upgrade their degrees Discussion This study identified and explained different activities employed in Cam Thanh School to support TPD of its English language teachers What also became apparent during the time of the study was the different nature of these activities More specifically, different activities were favored by English-language teachers based on their gender, competency, age, experience, and family situations Thus, Principal Hoa was eager about the need to use different activities, including voluntary and mandatory ones, to motivate different teachers to take part in TPD (Qian and Allen 2013), as she thought that teachers should have language competency (tai) in line with moral qualities (duc) to become perfect teachers, as Dalton et al (2001) pointed out School-based strategies were considered more important than external learning activities for English language teachers at Cam Thanh School Moreover, English language teachers appeared to attend external activities such as degree upgrading and “good teacher” title competitions for 36 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 necessary to our job, our self-esteem and prestige I try my best to find time for self-learning because at home, I am also busy with preparing lesson plans and housework It is a big challenge to struggle to self-study at home really” (T1) The process of self-learning was more challenging for a female teacher with two or more children who were often sick in the hospital Most time spent at home is spent on writing lesson plans and on the family, not on self-learning “I find abundant nameless work at home to do, taking care of children, cleaning, washing, going to the market, cooking, and many others” (T5) All the above-mentioned strategies have contributed to the achievements and success of the school in general and students in particular in English subject Principal Hoa affirmed this different reasons than the school-based ones English-language teachers participate in these activities to get qualifications and improve their professional identity and reputation in schools and wider communities “Vietnamese thinking” has a cultural aspect that regards higher qualifications, or “titles” as evidence of teachers’ capacities and reputation Thus, qualifications become tangible evidence of reputation in the eyes of the school, community, and colleagues On the other hand, especially for the “good teacher” title competition, it was the possibility of “failure.” This sense of “losing face” would make those English teachers who failed in competitions to feel ashamed and lose confidence in their teaching at school (Borton 2000) Fullan (2011) highlighted the benefits of positive pressure as a positive sign of motivation for professional learning and change towards improvements However, our interview with the principal suggested that “positive” is in the thinking of the principal as a leader It was clear that some teachers had taken part in the competitions for the “face” and compulsory requirement of the school leaders rather than for the benefits of their improved learning In contrast, school-based activities appeared to focus more on providing realistic English knowledge and teaching skills for English-language teachers Whether mandatory or voluntary, whether initiated by the principal or teachers, activities such as classroom observations, coaching-mentoring, weekly professional meetings, seminars, yearly scientific studies or experienced initiatives, and self-learning offered an ongoing foundation for TPD activities From the perspective of the principal, that foundation ensured that all English-language teachers would take part in continued TPD that benefitted both the school and the teachers themselves and their students Thus, all English language teachers participated in school-based activities including weekly professional meetings, classroom observations, and seminars However, within the school-wide expectations, English teachers had the choice of where to focus their professional learning For example, during their early years, teachers might spend their learning time on degree upgrading, classroom observation, and coaching-mentoring activities In contrast, more experienced teachers might spend more time to hold Sseminars, mentoring new teachers, sitting for “good teacher” competitions, having yearly scientific studies or experienced initiatives, and self-learning This different way to adult learning reflects a mature and effective realistic approach to adult PD and improvements Our study also aimed to see if there were localized aspects of English language TPD in this Vietnamese secondary school For example, researchers have identified “teacher research groups” as a common feature of TPD in Chinese schools (Paine and Fang 2006), we would conclude that “good teacher” title competitions, weekly professional meetings, and yearly scientific studies or experienced initiatives are localized aspects in this school These TPD activities are localized in in the way that they seem to reflect the social-cultural-political context of Vietnam For example, as noted earlier, the reputation that Vietnamese culture clearly motivates teachers to try for higher qualifications and “titles.” In addition, we also argue that the ways in which classroom observations, school-based seminars, and self-learning are utilized in Cam Thanh School are distinctive The collectivist and hierarchical character of Vietnamese culture is also evident in groupbased learning activities in which teachers are expected to participate which could both motivate the expectations and those activities to certain extent The group-based activities include the mandatory workshops, school-based seminars, and weekly professional meetings These activities as well as coaching-mentoring and classroom observations provided opportunities for those English-language teachers to share and learn values and norms of the school professional community to improve their knowledge, teaching methods, attitudes, responsibilities, and skills It is true that these localized aspects coming from the social-economic-cultural-political context of Vietnamese society not mean that everything works well in perfect harmony The results suggest that English teachers who were willingly to choose to register for “good teacher” title competitions or degree upgrading reported feeling considerably stressed and, in some cases, fear of failure for “losing face,” as evidence of Confucian influence Even while teachers 37 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADULT, COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING acknowledged the significance of classroom observations, some also reported feeling fearful and anxious Thus, our characterization of these activities as localized does not mean to suggest that they are all necessarily effective Moreover, not all activities of TPD identified in this study will necessarily transfer to other countries whose social-economic-cultural-political values and norms are different This study was conducted both to fill the gap in knowledge of professional learning of English language teachers in the Vietnamese context It also adds to the international literature on the subject This study reinforces earlier exploratory studies to outline teacher professional development in western (Vescio, Ross, and Adams 2008), as well as East Asian (Qian and Allen 2013), countries In general, the principal and teachers in this school realized the significance of TPD on the quality of English-language teaching and for an enhancement of students’ learning and success opportunities Newmann, King, and Youngs (2000) argue that the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teachers as individuals are obviously important and can make a difference in individual classrooms The principals and teachers in the four schools regarded teachers’ professional development during the time of the current educational reform in Vietnam as essential An understanding of the causal relationship between “good teachers” and “good students” was evident in the principal’s interviews and all five teachers’ questionnaires These beliefs are consistent with western literature (see, for example, Correnti 2007; Meissel, Par, and Timperley 2016) The need for English language teachers to grow, adapt and develop new English subject knowledge and teaching-method skills over time has reinforced the importance of TPD as a school achievement strategy This is evident in the policies, the beliefs, and the implemented activities in Cam Thanh Secondary School This may be the first study that tried to investigate English language teacher learning activities in a typical secondary school in Vietnam, which can add to the literature of the field Limitations and Implications Limitations of the Study The key limitation of this empirical study comes from its design as a single-site case study While this allowed the authors to study one particular secondary school in depth, the results cannot be generalized to other schools in Vietnam The research results cannot predict similar results in other Vietnamese schools Implications for English-Language Teachers Continued professional development will allow English-language teachers to maintain and upgrade their skills and to incorporate effective procedures, especially during this time of educational reforms in Vietnam Taking part in TPD also helps preserve their honor, respect, and prestige in the community According to the literature, their acknowledgement of the need for TPD should result from their intrinsic motivation if it is to be useful (see, for example, Fullan 2011) If they want to become effective English-language teachers, teachers should take advantage of opportunities, conditions, and mechanisms created by the principal to develop a passion for lifelong learning Teachers can learn everywhere, every time, through every means, and from everyone including all staff members (Nguyen 1984) In doing this, they will set a good example for their students and hence receive more respect from their students 38 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Conclusion TRAN AND NGUYEN: IMPLEMENTED ACTIVITIES OF TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Implications for Principals A learning community with a collaborative culture in the school—including collaboration, teacher empowerment, instructional supervision and evaluation, and motivational strategies—is conducive to English-language TPD This kind of community focuses on shared responsibility and duty, collective expertise, student learning and achievement, and mutual support of colleagues (Lai, Li, and Gong 2016; Opfer and Pedder 2011; Ping, Schellings, and Beijaard 2018) These factors can be developed in consideration of Vietnamese culture It would help if more supportive policies for English language teachers were put in place These could be created by senior authorities to help the teachers focus more energy, time, enthusiasm, and effort on TPD Because teachers’ salaries are not sufficient for their living, they cannot devote as much time as they wish for TPD The principal wanted to be provided with more finance so they could purchase the necessary resources such as equipment, books, journals, apparatuses, and other facilities so teachers had more effective means of improving their teaching and learning Workshops, conferences, and seminars organized by MOET, PETS, and DETS need to be relevant and therefore useful for teachers The content needs to fulfill the teachers’ requirements and practical needs and make strong links between what the teachers have already known with what they need to learn to make their teaching more effective The new information presented at workshops and seminars—especially that closely related to the changes of the educational reform, such as teaching methods—should be demonstrated so teachers can observe how lessons are done before they need to try them out The results of this study showing many good experiences and practices from the good school could be used as reference for senior departments and policymakers They will be able to scrutinize these results to see what works and what does not for English language teachers in other Vietnamese schools Implications for Researchers This current qualitative case-study research will provide a point of reference for Vietnamese researchers in terms of methodology The research will provide a starting point for further investigation by Vietnamese researchers The topic of English-language TPD and the principal’s roles and influences on that process will provide background material to support future research The present study will also contribute the international research database and place Vietnam in a position of comparison Western researchers will be able to refer to this research when they wish to understand English-language TPD within the Vietnamese context and the cultural, social, economic, and political influences on it Future research will need to affirm the extent to which Cam Thanh School is typical within the Vietnamese school system This would be done by examining the extent to which the scope and extent of English-language teacher participation in TPD activities found in this school describes other Vietnamese schools more generally Future studies investigating the influence of Confucian norms and philosophies in Asian educational workplaces can be recommended too Acknowledgement This research is funded by NAFOSTED under grant number 503.99-2018.301 39 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 Implications for Senior Authorities and 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traditional scholarly type, this journal invites presentations of practice—including documentation of curricular practices and exegeses of the effects of those practices The International Journal of Adult, Community, and Professional Learning is a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal ISSN: 2328-6318 Downloaded by Hai-Ngoc Tran on Sat Dec 28 2019 at 14:14:57 PM +07 The International Journal of Adult, Community and Professional Learning is one of ten thematically focused journals in the collection of journals that support The Learner Research Network—its journals, book series, conference, and online community The journal explores adult learning in a variety of contexts, from adult basic education to workplace training and professional learning ... Urbana-Champaign, USA José Luis Ortega, University of Granada, Spain Implemented Activities of English Language Teachers’ Professional Development: A Case Study in Hong Linh Province in Vietnam. .. school in a district in Hong Linh province in Vietnam? ” This paper presents a case study of a single secondary school in Hong Linh province Qualitative data were collected from the school principal... Vietnam Abstract: Language teachers’ professional development (TPD) has been regarded as a process that started from teachers’ training at tertiary education and continues in job-embedded learning activities