Research on teacher professional development highlights the process of resocialisation undergone by teachers returning to their institutional teaching contexts following inservice professional development activities, such as INSET. Resocialisation is likely to constrain implementation of planned innovations in classroom practice, and thus reduce the effectiveness of professional development provision. Drawing on findings from a longitudinal case study of tertiary teachers of English in the context of Chinese universities, this presentation will suggest that each individual teacher is likely to respond to post-INSET institutional constraints according to their perceived ability to enact changes to classroom practice, the nature of the INSET provided, and the opportunities for change made available by their institution (i.e., their specific teaching setting). The presentation will suggest ways in which tertiary institutions can mitigate the potential constraints on teachers post-INSET, helping them to make and sustain improvements to classroom practices.

David Sansom
David Sansom is a teacher and teacher trainer at the MPI-Bell Centre of English, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao. His research interests include investigating the impact of teacher professional development on teacher change, improving writing skills for English learners, and developing teaching materials for teachers.