IN-SERVICE TRAINING OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN ESTONIA: MAPPING OF TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Abstract

In-service training of teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) is as a core instrument of continuous professional development of EFL teachers. Within the context of nowadays education policies, the issue of in-service training has become of topical importance. It requires systematic approach based on the analysis of individual EFL teachers’ needs and receptive practices in developing in-service teacher-training programmes. In view of that, a survey was conducted among EFL teachers in Estonia to discover the areas of in-service training they are interested in. Based on the survey results, a model of an in-service training module to implement in order to meet the needs of EFL teachers in Estonia is proposed, and it is placed against the background of in-service teacher training provided in Estonia. The module could be included into in-service teaching training programmes not only in Estonia, but in a wider European context. Keywords: in-service teacher training, continuous professional development (CPD), English language teaching.