Second and foreign language teaching provides a career for hundreds of thousands of teachers worldwide, and the vast educational enterprise of English language teaching could not operate effectively without the dedication and effort of such teachers day by day and year by year throughout their careers. Maintaining the interest, creativity, and enthusiasm of experienced language teachers in their profession is one of the challenges faced by program coordinators, school principals, and teacher-educators. Teachers need to expand their roles and responsibilities over time if they are to continue to find language teaching rewarding, and it is the responsibility of schools and other educational institutions to provide opportunities for teachers to develop longer-term career goals and opportunities over time.

The field of language teaching is subject to rapid changes, both as the profession responds to new educational paradigms and trends and as institutions face new challenges as a result of changes in curriculum, national tests, and student needs. As a result, teachers need regular opportunities to update their professional knowledge and skills, that is, their opportunities for professional development. Teachers need to be able to take part in activities such as:

• engaging in self-reflection and evaluation

• developing specialized knowledge and skills about many aspects of teaching

• expanding their knowledge base about research, theory, and issues in teaching

• taking on new roles and responsibilities, such as supervisor or mentor teacher, teacher-researcher, or materials writer

• developing collaborative relationships with other teachers

This book provides a survey of current approaches to professional development for language teachers, particularly for those newto teaching or those who seek opportunities for in-service teacher education.