The induction experiences of novice teachers are receiving increasing attention within the subject field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).The process of beginning to teach is acknowledged to be complex and often fraught with tensions and anxieties for newly qualified teachers who may experience significant disjunction between the realities of classroom and institutional life and what they have been taught on pre-service training courses. Research has also shown that novice teachers can be helped to make a successful transition from the teacher-training environment to the school through well-designed induction programs which provide structured support and professional development with access to resources beyond the school itself. This article seeks to uncover whether these elements of well-designed induction programs are replicated for teachers of English in the Korean school system. Using data gathered in interviews with recently graduated teachers, the article examines the experiences of teaching in the early years and documents teachers’ own perceptions of their induction into teaching. The article discusses the place of the teachers within the social network of the school and, in so doing, hopes to foreground how individuals come to terms with the new and complex roles inherent in ‘being a teacher’ within this framework. This is a perspective particularly necessary for TEFL as a discipline where methods are so often deemed paramount in learning to teach, rather than an understanding of what it means to be a teacher of English as a foreign language in a particular socio-educational context.

This article provides theoretical perspectives on continuing professional development (CPD, henceforth) and in-service teacher education and training (INSET, henceforth). Regarding good practice in INSET and CPD for English language teachers, implications are drawn from the review of international practice in different situations. The first is to recognize the unique context each school has; there cannot be a ‘one size fits all’ policy for every school in a given system. Not imposed by outsiders on teachers, successful professional development and change should start with the English teacher and the acknowledgement of his or her agency. At the heart of professional development is English teachers’ willingness to open up their practice to public scrutiny. The review of the literature suggests that information technology has enabled online professional communities to be established amongst diverse school contexts across geographical boundaries. A collaborative professional learning environment for English language teachers is recognized as a critical component in the success of CPD and INSET. It is suggested that educational systems should provide the conditions fostering such professional learning environments for the benefit of both English teachers and their pupils.

This article aims to provide guiding principles for English language teacher evaluation through the review of recent accounts of research and practice. Teacher effectiveness needs to be contextually defined and measured. It is suggested that education providers need to work with all stakeholders in their systems both to define criteria for effective teaching and the means by which it may be assessed. As teacher evaluation is multifaceted, a range of data needs to be collected encompassing the views of all the stakeholders as well as the reflections of teachers themselves. Teacher evaluation should not be regarded as a summative product, the result of single evaluation measures conducted upon teachers, but should be thought of as a formative process in which teachers are actively engaged. Regarding evaluator training, it should not be assumed that those charged with evaluating teachers are, because of their positions, adequately trained to perform the evaluations. Evaluator training should be carried out before any evaluation is conducted under a new system. In order for the evaluation system to be meaningful and contribute to improvements in the education system as a whole, it should be seen primarily as a means of professional development for teachers as well as for anyone else involved in the process.

The research discussed in this paper was conducted to evaluate an intensive English teacher training program (IETTP) and to consider implications for in-service English teacher education. Data was gathered from a variety of sources including trainees’ self-evaluation of their teaching and English language proficiency, feedback on sessions of the program, interviews, and documents. The analysis of the gathered data revealed that the trainees perceived their teaching improved. The comparison of the pre- and post-tests of language skills showed that the level of the trainees’ English language significantly improved. The trainees’ feedback on the program and the trainers revealed that they were satisfied with the course components, and with the trainers’ enthusiasm, materials, motivation and demonstrations. It was also found that the program management was process-focused; the evaluation was conducted on a regular basis and the results were fed back into the program. The findings of the program evaluation supported the conclusion that the trainees benefitted from the programs and that the goals of the training program were achieved at a satisfactory level in most areas. The findings provide guidelines for the further development of IETTPs, and implications for policy-making on English teacher education.