Fifty Ways to Develop Professionally: What Language Educators Need to Succeed

Abstract

This paper discusses the importance and purposes of professional development in the lives of language educators in the Asian context and describes what teachers need to consider in designing a professional development plan. It provides a definition, rationale, and fifty professional development activities with references and resources found in the TESOL literature. Three steps are proposed in the formation of professional development plans: 1) determine one's strengths and weaknesses, 2) consider one's current stage of development and what one wants to accomplish, and 3) select long and short term goals and the resources needed to accomplish them. It is posited that continued development is the obligation of the professional language educator and that through reflection upon one's practice, awareness of opportunities, and a comprehensive plan, educators can obtain their professional development goals even with limited resources.