Professionalising Primary School English Teaching: Examining the Impact of a One-Year In-service Course

In Norway, one-year, part-time in-service EFL teacher training courses have been introduced to remedy a shortage of qualified primary school English teachers. Course impact is assessed only through general end-of-course questionnaires. This sequential mixed methods study of a cohort of 33 teachers aimed to gain a deeper understanding of course impact by comparing teachers’ responses to identical pre- and post-course questionnaires and analysing teachers’ own written reflections on changes in their responses. Complementary quantitative and qualitative data showed links between increased use of English, increased teacher confidence, and changes in classroom practices for all teachers, notably reduced use of translation. The teachers of the younger children used more English to help create a better classroom atmosphere, while the teachers of the older children changed from using whole-class oral work to using more pair work. Some teachers remain anxious about making grammatical errors, while most continue to lack confidence in teaching pronunciation. Factors influencing change included course duration, the practical classroom focus, and the key role of teacher educator. Recommendations include creating locally based long-term opportunities for continuing professional development that include regular English conversational interaction. The study illustrates how longitudinal mixed methods research can enrich impact assessment of in-service education.