Understanding the Effect of Professional Learning Community on EFL Teachers’ Intercultural Teaching Competence

Document Type : Research article

Authors
School of Liberal Arts, Metharath University, Bang Toey, Thailand
Abstract
Professional learning community (PLC) has been a generally recognized model for promoting teacher development, including EFL teachers’ writing assessment literacy, intercultural teaching competence, digital literacy, and so on. However, research on whether the changes in beliefs of teachers engaging in a PLC affects their teaching competence is relatively scant. To fill this gap, the present study investigated the extent to which a PLC with intercultural components changed EFL teachers’ beliefs in intercultural teaching, which in turn affected their intercultural teaching competence. In doing so, adopting an exploratory sequential method, qualitative data from teachers and a questionnaire from students were collected and analyzed through NVIVO 12 and SPSS 26.0. The data analyses revealed significant changes in the EFL teachers’ knowledge construction, motivation inspired by peer interaction, and reflection on intercultural learning and teaching practices. These changes led to the transformations in their beliefs and practices concerning intercultural instruction, although individual orientations were observed in their pedagogical approaches. Furthermore, the study’s findings were supported by evidence of corresponding changes in students’ learning outcomes in the development of intercultural competence. The study highlights the significance of PLCs in enhancing EFL teachers’ intercultural teaching competence and their professional development.

Keywords

Subjects


References
Alfaro, C., & Quedada, R. L. (2014). International teacher professional development: Teacher reflections of authentic teaching and learning experiences. Internationalization of Teaching Education, 21(1), 47-60. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210903466943
Andrews, D., & Lewis, M. (2007). Transforming practice from within: The power of the professional learning community. Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth and dilemmas, 132-147.
Arkoudis, S., Watty, K., Baik, C., Yu, X., Borland, H., Chang, S., Lang, I., Lang, J., & Pearce, A. (2013). Finding common ground: Enhancing interaction between domestic and international students in higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 18(3), 222–235. https://doi.org/
10.1080/13562517.2012.719156
Bennett, J. M., & Bennett, M. J. (2004). Developing intercultural sensitivity: An integrative approach to global and domestic diversity. In D. Landis, J. Bennett & M. Bennett (Eds.), Handbook of intercultural training (3rd ed, pp. 147–165). Sage.
Bennett, Janet M. (2009). “Cultivating Intercultural Competence: A Process Perspective.” In The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Competence, 121–140. Sage.
Biebricher, C., East, M., Howard, J., & Tolosa, C. (2019). Navigating intercultural language teaching in New Zealand classrooms. Cambridge Journal of Education, 49(5), 605-621. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2019.1581137
Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence (Clevedon, Multilingual Matters).
Byram, M., & Feng, A. (2004). Culture and language learning: Teaching, research and scholarship. Language Teaching, 37, 149–168. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444804002289
Byram, M., Gribkova, B., & Starkey, H. (2002). Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching: A practical introduction for teachers. Language Policy Division, Directorate of School, Out-of-School and Higher Education, Council of Europe.
Byram, M., & Risager, K. (1999). Language teachers, politics and cultures. Multilingual Matters.
Chang, X., & Zhao, Y. (2012). An action research in college English teaching to raise students’ intercultural awareness. Foreign Language World (02), 27-34.
Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1999). Chapter 8: Relationships of knowledge and practice: Teacher learning in communities. Review of research in education, 24(1), 249-305. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X024001249
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018) Research methods in education (Eighth edition). New York: Routledge.
Creswell, J. W. & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011) Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (second edition). Sage.
Cushner, K., & Mahon, J. (2009). Intercultural competence in teacher education. The SAGE handbook of intercultural competence, 304-320.
Deardorff, D.K. (2004). The identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcomes of international education at institutions of higher education in the United States. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.
Deardorff, D.K. (2006). Identification and assessment of intercultural competence as a student outcomes of internationalization. Journal of Studies in International Education, 10, 241–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315306287002
Deardorff, D. K. (2009). Exploring interculturally competent teaching in social sciences classrooms. Enhancing Learning in the Social Sciences, 2(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.11120/ elss.2009.02010002
Deardorff, D. K. (2011). Intercultural competence in foreign language classrooms: A framework
and implications for educators. In A. Witte & T. Harden (Eds.), Intercultural competence. Concepts, challenges, evaluations (pp.37-54). Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Peter Lang.
Derakhshan, A., Wang, Y. L., Wang, Y. X., & Ortega-Martín, J. L. (2023). Towards Innovative Research Approaches to Investigating the Role of Emotional Variables in Promoting Language Teachers’ and Learners’ Mental Health. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 25 (7): 823-832. doi:10.32604/ijmhp.2023.029877.
Derakhshan, A., & Fathi, J. (2023). Grit and foreign language enjoyment as predictors of EFL learners online engagement: The mediating role of online learning self efficacy. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00745-x
Dimitrov, N., Dawson, D. L., Olsen, K., & Meadows, K. N. (2014). Developing the intercultural competence of graduate students. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 44(3), 86.
Dimitrov, N., & Haque, A. (2016). Intercultural teaching competence: A multi- disciplinary model for instructor reflection. Intercultural education, 27(5), 437-456. https://doi.org/10.1080/1467
5986.2016.1240502
DuFour, R. (2004). What is a “professional learning community”?. Educational leadership, 61(8), 6-11.
Dufour, R., Eaker, R., & Karhanek, G. (2010). Raising the bar and closing the gap: Whatever it takes. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Echcharfy, M. (2019). Investigating intercultural teaching competence among Moroccan teachers in tertiary education. Asian TEFL: Journal of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 4(2), 53-69.
Fantini, A. E. (2009). Assessing intercultural competence. The SAGE handbook of intercultural competence, 456-476.
Fu, J., & Wang, Y. (2022). Inspecting EFL Teachers’ Academic Literacy Development in Multilingual Contexts: A Global Vision. Heliyon, 8(12):1-6. http://doi.org/10.1016/j,hel iyon.2022.e12143.
Gao, Y., Zeng, G. Wang, Y., Klan, A. & Wang, X. (2022). Exploring educational planning, teacher beliefs, and teacher practices during the pandemic: A study of science and technology-based universities in China. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 903244. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fpsyg.2022.903244.
Guo, Y. & Xu, J. (2015). An empirical study of the construction and effectiveness of a professional development community of college teachers in China. Foreign Language World (05), 79-87.
Guo, Y., & Xu, J. (2016). A Study on the influence of professional learning community on the development of foreign language teachers’ teaching ability. Journal of PLA University of Foreign Languages (01),104-112.
Guo, Y., Wang, Y., & Ortega-Martín, J. (2023). The impact of blended learning-based scaffolding techniques on learners’ self-efficacy and willingness to communicate. Porta Linguarum, 40(2): 253-273. doi: https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi40.27061
Hord, S. M. (1997). Professional learning communities: Communities of continuous inquiry and improvement. Austin, Texas: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
Hord, S. M., & Hirsh, S. A. (2008). Making the promise a reality. In A. Blankstein, P. D. Houston, & R. W. Cole (Eds.). Sustaining professional learning communities. Corwin Press.
Huang, X., Zhang, M. & Lv, J. (2019). Building cross-culture teacher community of practice: based on UK-China mathematics teacher exchange program. Research in Education Development, 38(10), 60-65.
Irimia, M. L. (2012). Developing the intercultural dimension in language teaching. International Journal of Communication Research, 2(4), 325.
King, M. B., & Newmann, F. M. (2001). Building school capacity through professional development: Conceptual and empirical considerations. International Journal of Educational Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540110383818
Koellner-Clark, K., & Borko, H. (2004). Establishing a Professional Learning Community among Middle School Mathematics Teachers. International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, (2): 223-230.
Liao, H., & Li, L. (2017). A mixed methods evaluation of college English writing: a case study in China. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 26(6), 383-396. doi: 10.1007/s40299-017-03
57-y
Liao, H., & Li, Y. (2020). Intercultural teaching approaches and practices of Chinese teachers in English education: An exploratory mixed methods study. Language Teaching Research,00(0),1-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820971467
Liddicoat, A. J. (2002). Static and dynamic views of culture and intercultural language acquisition. Babel, 36(3), 4-11, 37.
Liddicoat, A. J. (2004). Intercultural language teaching: Principles for practice. New Zealand Language Teachers, (30), 17-24.
Lincoln, Y. S. and Guba, E. (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Little, J. W. (2002). Locating learning in teachers’ communities of practice: Opening up problems of analysis in records of everyday work. Teaching and Teacher Education, (2): 917-946. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(02)00052-5
Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1995). Designing qualitative research (2nd ed.).Sage.
Maxwell, J. A. (1992) Understanding and validity in qualitative research. Harvard Educational Review, 62 (3), pp. 279–300. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.62.3.8323320856251826
McLaughlin, M. W., & Talbert, J. E. (1993). Contexts that matter for teaching and learning: Strategic opportunities for meeting the nation’s education goals. Palo Alto, CA: Center for Research on the Context of Secondary Schools.
McLaughlin, M. W., & Talbert, J. E. (2006). Building school-based teacher learning communities: Professional strategies to improve student achievement (Vol. 45). Teachers College Press.
Newmann, F. M. (1996). Authentic achievement: Restructuring schools for intellectual quality. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
Okken, G. J., Jansen, E. P. W. A., Hofman, W. H. A., & Coelen, R. J. (2022). The relationship between intercultural teaching competence and school and classroom level characteristics. Intercultural Education, 33(2), 193-210. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.20
22.2031904
Pajak-Wazna, E. (2013). Teachers’ intercultural competence and teacher education: A case of Poland. European Scientific Journal, 1(2), 318–322.
Pareja Roblin, N., & Margalef, L. (2013). Learning from dilemmas: teacher professional development through collaborative action and reflection. Teachers and Teaching, 19(1), 18-32. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2013.744196
Patton, M. Q. (2002) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (third edition). Sage.
Peng, R., Fu, R., & Wu, W. (2020). Exploring a theoretical model and a practical model for intercultural foreign language teaching in the New Era. Foreign Language World (04), 45-53.
Sercu, L. (2006). The foreign language and intercultural competence teacher: The acquisition of a new professional identity. Intercultural education, 17(1), 55-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 14675980500502321
Shen, X., Hao, C., & Peng, J. (2022). Promoting EFL learners’ willingness to communicate through transmediation in a digital storytelling workshop. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1–18.
Shi, Y., & Fan, W. (2016). Construction of college English Teachers’ Intercultural Teaching Competence Scale. Journal of College Foreign Language Teaching Research, (00), 115-123+188-189.
Shulman, L.S. (1997). Professional development: Learning from experience. In B.S. Kogan (ed), Common schools: Uncommon futures: A working consensus for school renewal. New York: Teachers College Press.
Skerrett, A. (2010). “There's going to be community. There's going to be knowledge”: Designs for learning in a standardised age. Teaching and teacher education, 26(3), 648-655. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.09.017
Sinicrope, C., Norris, J., & Watanabe, Y. (2007). Understanding and assessing intercultural competence: A summary of theory, research, and practice (technical report for the foreign language program evaluation project). Second Language Studies, 26(1), 1-58.
Stoll, L., Bolam, R., McMahon, A., Wallace, M., & Thomas, S. (2006). Professional learning communities: A review of the literature. Journal of educational change, 7(4), 221-258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-006-0001-8
Teddlie, C., & Tashakkori, A. (2009) Foundations of Mixed Methods Research. Sage.
Tillema, H., & van der Westhuizen, G. J. (2006). Knowledge construction in collaborative enquiry among teachers. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 12(1), 51-67. https://doi.org/10.
1080/13450600500365403
Van Es, E. A. (2012). Examining the development of a teacher learning community: The case of a video club. Teaching and teacher education, 28(2), 182-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2 011.09.005
Vescio, V., Ross, D., & Adams, A. (2008). A review of research on the impact of professional learning communities on teaching practice and student learning. Teaching and teacher education, 24(1), 80-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2007.01.004
Vogt, K. (2016). Teaching practice abroad for developing intercultural competence in foreign language teachers. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(2), 85-106.
Wang, T. (2016). School leadership and professional learning community: Case study of two senior high schools in Northeast China. Asia pacific journal of education, 36(2), 202-216. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2016.1148849
Wang, Y. A. & Kulich, S. J. (2015). Does context count? Developing and assessing intercultural competence through an interview-and model-based domestic course design in China. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 48, 38-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ij
intrel.2015.03.013
Wang, Y. (2023). Probing into the boredom of online instruction among Chinese English language teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Current Psychology, 43(1):1-15. https://doi.org/ 10.1007/s12144-022-04223-3.
Wang, Y., & Derakhshan, A. (2023). Enhancing Chinese and Iranian EFL students’ willingness to attend classes: The role of teacher confirmation and caring. Porta Linguarum, 39(1):165-192. http://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi39.23625.
Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., & Azari Noughabi, M. (2022a). The interplay of EFL teachers’ immunity, work engagement, and psychological well-being: Evidence from four Asian countries. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2092625.
Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., & Rahimpour, H. (2022b). Developing resilience among Chinese and Iranian EFL teachers: A multi-dimensional cross-cultural study. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2022.2042540.
Wang, Y., & Hemchua, S. (2022). Can we learn about culture by EFL textbook images?: A semiotic approach perspective. Language Related Research, 13(3):479-499. https://doi.org/ 10.29252/LRR.13.3.18.
Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., Pan, Z., & Ghiasvand, F. (2023a). Chinese EFL Teachers’ Writing Assessment Feedback Literacy: A Scale Development and Validation Study. Assessing Writing, 56: 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2023.100726.
Wang, Y. L., Wang, Y. X., Pan, Z. W. & Ortega-Martín, J. L. (2023b). The Predicting Role of EFL Students’ Achievement Emotions and Technological Self-efficacy in Their Technology Acceptance. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, doi: 10.1007/s40299-023-00750-0.
Wang, Y., Pan, Z. W., & Wang, M. Z. (2023c). The moderating effect of participation in online learning on EFL teachers’ teaching ability. Heliyon, 9(3)e13890: 1-12. https:// doi.org/10. 1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13890.
Wen, Q. (2017) A theoretical framework for developing a professional learning community of university foreign language teachers. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching Theory and Practice (03), 1-9.
Wen, Q., & Ren, Q. (2011). A new interactive model for tertiary EFL teacher education in China. Modern Foreign Languages(1), 83-90.
Zellermayer, M & E. Tabak, (2006). “Knowledge construction in a teachers’ community of enquiry: A possible road map”. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice 12(1):33-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/13450600500364562
Zhang, H. (2007). Intercultural foreign language teaching and learning. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
Zhang, H., & Wen, Q. (2020). The impact of a professional learning community on the development of university teachers instructing different foreign languages. Foreign Language World (2), 27-34.
Zhang, H., Yu, Y., & Shen, X. (2018) Contests as an intercultural competence assessment method: A case study of the SFLEP Shanghai Intercultural Competence Contest. Foreign Language World, (1), 52-67.
Zheng, X. (2019). A literature review of the research on intercultural language teachers at home and abroad. Foreign Language World, (04), 85-93.
Zhi, R., & Wang, Y. L. (2023). English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Professional Success, Loving Pedagogy and Creativity: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach. Thinking Skills and Creativity, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101370.