Cambodian English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Perspectives on Continuing Professional Development of a Non-Governmental Organization in Cambodia

Abstract

This study explored the perspectives of Cambodian teachers who teach English as a foreign language (EFL) on continuing professional development (CPD) of a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Cambodia. This study was motivated by two research questions: (1) what is Cambodian EFL teachers' perception of CPD and the CPD provided by the NGO? (2) What is Cambodian EFL teachers' perception of how to develop CPD to be an effective teacher training program? This study advances our understanding of the practice of CPD in Cambodia and of teachers' perceptions towards their CPD. In this qualitative study, data were collected by means of interviews. Eight Cambodian EFL teachers were deliberately selected to take part in semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that the participant teachers showed a good understanding of CPD and acknowledged that CPD is essential to their teaching career and contributes to better students' learning performance. However, there is a significant concern regarding the time for CPD and the response to the teachers' CPD needs. The participant teachers were of the view that there is more to be done, and they provided several suggestions that are potentially helpful to improve the effectiveness of CPD provision at the NGO.