Innovation and the experienced teacher

This paper concerns the possible roles of in-service teacher training in facilitating the innovative process in the second/foreign language classroom. In particular, it attempts to address the problems faced by experienced1 teachers with well-established teaching styles and perceptions of what is or is not possible in their classrooms when presented with ‘new’ ideas. The paper is divided into three parts. Part 1 attempts to define innovation2 within an educational context and consider the justifications for promoting innovation in the classroom. Part 2 will look at the different roles a programme can play in promoting innovation in the classroom, and Part 3 will present one model of an in-service teacher training programme which attempted to bridge the gap between training and practice.3