Professional development of ESL primary school teachers: Impact on teaching skills / Ruzana Omar

To enhance the country's education quality, Malaysia's Ministry of Education requires in-service primary school English language teachers to enrol in a four-year degree programme. This study explored the impacts of professional development on English language (ESL) primary school teachers' teaching competency after completing their four-year degree program. The observation data collection method was employed in this study. The purpose of these observations is to gain some insights into the teacher’s competency in teaching and language skills. Three in-service primary school English language teachers participating in professional development were selected for classroom observation. The teacher observation form adapted from the Teaching Practice Evaluation Form of Education Faculty of University Technology MARA was used to assess the teachers’ performance. The results show that the teachers had achieved the required skills in teaching and language proficiency, though they still needed to improve their technological skills. The study concludes that the training related to technology-enhanced teaching must be improved if the professional development program is to have the most significant impact. This study is beneficial to ESL programme administrators who intend to promote higher levels of commitment through a more holistic understanding of the needs and barriers of their teachers participating in professional development.