Blog: Holyrood Palace Scotland

There are two sides to professionalism. Teacher training is certainly one side. There are numerous bodies in the UK that can provide support for further training in various aspects of English Language teaching. The Institute of Learning (IFL) is one such organisation that encourages its members to further their skills with a yearly Career Development Plan (CDP) with member benefit such as discounts on courses. Life Long Learning is another such body to aid in development. Talent.com also provides training and a jobs search engine.

However, there is another aspect to the meaning of professionalism that English Language teaching lacks. This is career security. As yet there is no organisation which acts as a Trade Union for English Language teachers. In some ways, English teaching is still not regarded as a professional body of teaching.

Despite the number of organisations that offer teacher training, it is down to the individual school to whether or not it will aid teachers to further their careers. Especially within English as a Foreign Language (EFL), teachers are not encourage to gain training in specialised fields, such as Literacy, Numeracy, Phonics or Differentiation, as they would do within English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). Certain EFL schools will offer the Diploma in English Language Teaching (DELTA), on the condition that teachers stay with the school for a certain number of years and aim to go to middle management. For those who don’t wish to take the middle management route there are few options in the EFL to further their careers.

Seasonal Work and Employment Disputes

Outside of teacher training,here is little support for teachers. Teachers are often only given work on a seasonal basis, with little job security. Also, organisations such as the British Council and Institute for Learning do not aid in employment disputes.

There is a need for such a body. English Language Teaching is a precarious business. There is little job security. Often work is on a seasonal basis, and there are few laws requiring schools to give their teachers any promise of job security. For those who do not work abroad, but wish to work within the UK, this is a major issue.

Teachers often gain employment on a temporary basis, which is continually renewed, meaning that employers take advantage of wages. Under the laws for temporary workers, employers are not required to give wage increases or offer any other security. In majority of English Language schools there are a number of teachers, who even after a number of years, continue to work on a set hourly wage. Unless they continue on the management level, there is not only little opportunity to further their career in teaching, but little incentive, as their work is not financially rewarded.

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