In-Service Training Needs of Elementary School Teachers in Charge of English Language Education

Abstract

This article reports on a research project which investigated the in-service training needs of elementary school teachers who were in charge of English language education. In the spring of 2001, questionnaires were sent to all the 630 elementary schools in Niigata Prefecture. Teachers were asked to rate their interests or needs for a number of given topics of in-service courses. This project identified 3 patterns in the expressed needs, which has led to the proposal that those involved in developing such in-service training programmes should attempt to meet these diversified needs by offering teachers a variety of optional single-issue courses.