The professional development needs and interests of secondary English language teachers in northeast Mexico

Abstract

The smooth and successful implementation of any educational reform is largely dependent on the quality of the teachers’ training. Regarding the National English Program for Basic Education (PNIEB, for its acronym in Spanish) implemented in secondary schools in Mexico by the Secretaría de Educación Pública last year, teacher training strategies have neglected the changes in the understanding of the profession. This paper presents the results of a government-funded survey that investigated the characteristics of 297 secondary school English language teachers in northeast Mexico, in terms of their education, teaching experience, professional development track, as well as their views and attitudes toward different modes of professional development.