Suggested topics for international teaching professional development for the 2023-24 academic year

Professional development is essential for the international teachers and faculty at your school. Not only does consistent, quality professional development help international teaching staff to stay up-to-date with the latest teaching practices and advances in their field, it also provides an opportunity to enhance their skills, knowledge, and expertise, resulting in better educators.

In this blog, we cover suggested topics for professional development for international teachers and faculty for the 2023-24 academic year.

Differentiated instruction

Every student learns differently. Differentiated instruction is a teaching approach that focuses on tailoring instruction to meet the individual needs and learning styles of each student.

By including differentiated instruction into your PD program, your international teachers and faculty to develop the skills needed to differentiate their instruction, including identifying student needs, planning and implementing differentiated instruction, and assessing student progress.

Assessment and evaluation

Assessment and evaluation are critical components of the teaching and learning process. Not only does it help teachers to track the growth and progress of students, it can help with their own understanding of the effectiveness of their teaching techniques.

We recommend professional development in this area to focus on building the skills required to design and implement effective assessments, analyse and interpret assessment data, and using data to improve student learning.

Classroom management

It’s no secret that students learn better in an environment that is positive and productive. An expert understand in classroom management is essential for creating such an environment.

By investing in professional development in this area, international teachers and faculty can develop strategies for managing student behavior, building positive relationships with students, and promoting a positive classroom culture.

Technology integration

The integral role of technology in education became more evident than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Professional development in this area can help teachers and faculty to develop the skills needed to effectively integrate technology into their teaching, including selecting and using appropriate technology tools, designing technology-enhanced learning activities, and assessing the impact of technology on student learning.

Cultural competence

One of the most important skills for international educators is cultural competence. This involves understanding and respecting different cultural norms, values, and beliefs.

By ensuring your international teachers and faculty are cultural competent, you can be confident your staff can build meaningful relationships with students, parents, and colleagues from diverse backgrounds, and mitigate misunderstandings and conflicts.

Professional development opportunities in this area may include workshops or training sessions on cross-cultural communication, diversity and inclusion, and intercultural competence.

Language acquisition

Language acquisition is another important area of professional development for international educators. Learning the local language can help educators better communicate with students and parents, and it can also help them integrate into the local community.

Professional development opportunities in this area may include language courses or workshops on teaching English as a second language.

Pedagogical techniques

Pedagogical techniques are the methods and strategies that teachers use to engage students and facilitate learning. International teachers and faculty may need to adapt their pedagogical techniques to suit the cultural and educational context of their new environment.

We recommend workshops or training sessions on active learning strategies, differentiated instruction, and project-based learning.

International teaching professional development with Schrole

If you need assistance in either planning or delivering our international school’s Professional Development, don’t hesitate to reach out.

In addition to offering a full suite of HR software especially designed for international schools, Schrole is a fully accredited Registered Training Organisation in Australia delivering a range of qualifications. In order to extend this expertise, Schrole offers contextualised leadership and management short courses derived from our Diploma of Leadership and Management qualification, designed for schools to develop leadership skills and capacity within their current staff.

Workshops can be scheduled to suit the requirements of your individual school and can accommodate between 12 to 36 people. Depending on the course content, workshops normally include breakout sessions and group exercises designed to help build team interaction and engagement.

Get in touch to learn more about our short courses today.