World Learning’s English Language Teacher Training program builds capacity; inspires research
By Abby Henson
Through World Learning’s teacher training work, faculty members in Indonesia conducted research to examine the experiences of English language teachers in the country.
The research project came out of World Learning’s English Language Teacher Training (ELTT) program. Through ELTT, World Learning increases the capacity and effectiveness of English language teacher trainers and educators in Indonesia.
“By strengthening the field of TESOL in Indonesia, we are strengthening locally-led workforce development in the country.”
When World Learning implemented ELTT for the first time in 2021, it supported a group of senior faculty members in conducting research on the program. Led by Lois Scott-Conley, senior advisor for education and capacity development at World Learning, in collaboration with Donald Freeman, a global leader in teacher education, the research team’s findings highlight a thorough understanding of the teacher education context across Indonesia.
The team presented their work at a conference in Jakarta in 2023 and the collection of findings was recently published digitally. The research will strengthen the education landscape for English teachers in Indonesia. Specifically, it will help shape future teacher trainings to ensure best practices and growth in the English language field.
“By strengthening the field of TESOL in Indonesia, we are strengthening locally-led workforce development in the country,” said German Gomez, director of TESOL education at World Learning.
The research will also help shape the ELTT program itself, now in its third iteration.
The new research conducted not only demonstrates the far-reaching impacts of the ELTT program, but also how the program directly helps student learning.
ELTT utilizes online and in-person sessions to support English language teachers through learner-centered and communicative methods. Teachers in the program complete two self-paced online courses developed by National Geographic Learning: English for Teaching and Professional Knowledge for English Language Teachers.
World Learning also trains local teacher trainers to lead Peer Learning Hubs and in-person workshops. These hubs, small groups of 10–12 teachers, help program participants contextualize the course content through collaboration and gain a deeper understanding of course content. The workshops supplement the online courses by integrating experiential learning, interactive practice, and reflection into the learning process. Both the hubs and workshops also help the teachers build professional networks they can access throughout their careers.
“The workshops really make the difference for teachers,” said Scott-Conley. “Teachers learn how to transfer the knowledge of the online courses into direct classroom application.”
Scott-Conley also notes the unique cascade approach of the program — “training trainers who then train teachers.” This capacity building creates a powerful impact. The local teacher trainers support participants by providing direct and individualized instruction, guiding reflection and goal setting, and encouraging teachers to apply what they’re learning to their classrooms. To date, 1,547 teachers have been served by ELTT, which is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Jakata.
Mihiri Warnasuriya, senior program manager at World Learning, believes the new research conducted not only demonstrates the far-reaching impacts of the ELTT program, but also how the program directly helps student learning.
“We are glad that this volume of research was released,” Warnasuriya said. “It highlights how the program enables teachers to enhance learning outcomes for students across Indonesia through the effective use of learner-centered and communicative methods of English language instruction.”
