Sharing Best PracticeSharing Best PracticeStaff Development ProgrammeStaff Development Programme

Ms Jean MeakinMs Jean MeakinSenior Lecturer, English Language WingSenior Lecturer, English Language Wing

Defence School of Languages, Beaconsfield, UKDefence School of Languages, Beaconsfield, UK

Scope of Presentation

• The School

• Existing Staff Development

• Setting up ‘Sharing Best Practice’

• Issues

The Defence School of Languages

Mission

To deliver foreign language training to British Armed Forces personnel and English language training to foreign military personnel.

Existing Staff Development

• Induction of new staff• Mentoring• Lesson observations• Appraisals

• INSET days• Defence Language Training Seminar• Distance Based Learning• Defence Learning Portal (e-Learning)• BILC Seminars• Language Testing Seminar

• Job-specific courses• Mandatory courses• Personal development courses

Why More?

• A ‘learning’ organisation

• Adult Learning Inspection Summer 2005

The Team

3 Senior Lecturers, from different wings

• Initial meeting – Needs analysis

• Scoping exercise

• Team agreement on aims, format, frequency, venue, ethos

• Agreement on team roles

• Drawing up of first term’s schedule

Preparation

Deliver a staff development programme of Sharing Best Practice for instructors across the whole of DSL.

Aims• Share skills and ideas• Get to know colleagues• Increase uniformity

Mission

• Workshops on different topics about teaching

• All instructors encouraged to attend• Sessions facilitated by different staff• Every 3 or 4 weeks, Weds 3 pm – 4.30 pm• Lecture theatre• Refreshments

The Programme

Format of Sessions

• Welcome, refreshments

• 15-minute presentation by facilitator

• Group tasks

• Feedback plenary and discussion

• CO’s address

• Publicity

The Launch

First Five Sessions

1. Defence Systems Approach to Training

2. Aims, Objectives, Lesson Planning

3. Learning Styles

4. Informal Assessment Ideas

5. Teaching Note Taking Skills AND

Downloading Sound from the Internet

The Sessions

• Informal

• Genuine Sharing of Best Practice - Not just a presentation

Sustainability and Continuity

• Average of 20-30 attendees per session

• Now in its fifth term

• More sessions planned and facilitators still volunteering

• Reduce formality: – Location– facilitator’s role

• Payment for attendance?• Who should attend? • Certificates of attendance?• When and how to end?• What next?

The Issues

Questions?