Content

Introduction
1. Theoretical foundations of the problem of professional self-
development of teachers
1.1 The concept and essence of professional self-development of teachers
1.2 Professional competencies of an English teacher
2. Practical study of professional self-development of English teachers
2.1 Self-education
2.2 Constant work with language
2.3 Certificates for English teachers
2.4 Conferences and seminars
2.5 Methodological literature
 Introduction

Professional development is gaining new skills through continuing education

and career training after entering the workforce. It can include taking classes or
workshops, attending professional or industry conferences, or earning a certificate
to expand your knowledge in your chosen field.
The truth is, many people aren’t investing in their career development. One-
third of employees say they do nothing to upgrade or improve their current skill set.
These people aren’t too worried about their future career. Many may be good at their
jobs, too, but they’re either content where they’re at or just aren’t worried about their
professional future.
It is a way for people to assess their own skills and abilities, consider their
aims in life, and set goals in order to realise and maximise their true potential.
The purpose of professional development is to give professionals the
opportunity to learn and apply new knowledge and skills that can help them in their
job and further their career. Professional development is all about building your skill
set and knowledge base for your field.
Professional development and professional training opportunities provide
many other specific benefits for both young and experienced professionalsWhether
you are a teacher, a teacher educator, a manager, a researcher or a materials writer,
your professional development and the professional development of the people you
work with is an important part of your career and a vital element in maintaining your
growth in the English Language Teaching profession.
Professional development of language teachers is one major measure to
ensure that teachers remain updated and avoid the risk or leaving the profession. Not
all teachers, however, attend professional development (PD) workshops or engage
in such activities for the sake of developing professionally. Some teachers attend PD
courses on a routine basis with little knowledge of what competencies they are
expected to gain as a result, and simply because taking part in such programmes is
an institutional requirement.
An ongoing learning process in which teachers engage voluntarily to learn
how best to adjust their teaching to the learning needs of their students. Professional
development is not a one-shot, one-size-fits-all event, but rather an evolving process
of professional self-disclosure, reflection and growth that yields the best results
when sustained over time in communities of practice and when focused on job-
embedded responsibilities.
Therefore, the theme of our course work is “Ways of English teacher
professional development”.
The aim of the research is to explore new ways and trends in the professional
development of English teachers.
The subject of the study is a set of pedagogical conditions of teachers'
professional growth.
Object - professional growth of teachers
 Hypothesis of the study: The effectiveness of pedagogical activity depends on
the self-education of self-education of the teacher.
In accordance with the goal and the put forward hypothesis the following tasks
were solved:
- Study the theoretical aspects of the problem of professional self-
development of school teachers
- To analyze the psychological and pedagogical literature on the problem
of professional growth of the teacher's personality;
- to identify and theoretically substantiate the stages and conditions of
professional growth;
- to consider methods for researching the conditions of professional
growth of a teacher.
Methods of research
Conversation, literature analysis, observation, Methods: "Assessment of
professional orientation of teacher's personality" (Rogov E.I.), Methods of studying
self-assessment of professional suitability and features of pedagogical activity"
(Roganova T.A., L.I. Zolotareva. N.F. Shlyakhta).
 1. Theoretical foundations of the problem of professional self-
development of teachers

1.1 The concept and essence of professional self-development of teachers

K. D. Ushinsky's statement that a teacher lives as long as he/she learns is of

special importance in modern conditions. Life itself has put the problem of
continuous pedagogical education on the agenda. A.Disterweg wrote, referring to
the teacher: "He is only able to actually educate and educate as long as he works on
his own upbringing and education" [3;74]. [3;74].
The ability to "create oneself" in accordance with socio-moral ideals, in which
professional competence, rich spiritual life and responsibility would become natural
conditions of human life, the urgent need of the day.
Professional self-development, like any other activity, has in its basis a rather
complex system of motives and sources of activity. Usually, the driving force and
source of self-education of a teacher is called the need for self-improvement.
The professional development of an educator facilitates his/her interaction
with other educators, sharing experience and jointly solving professional problems.
Interaction within the professional community allows the teacher to receive
support, feedback and new ideas, which helps to improve the quality of teaching.
Professional development of a teacher contributes to his/her motivation and
professional self-realization. A teacher who actively develops professionally feels
more confident in his or her abilities, feels satisfied with his or her work, and
displays greater enthusiasm and a positive attitude toward learning. Teacher
professional development is an integral component of improving the quality of
learning in schools. It contributes to the growth of competence and professional
skills of teachers, which in turn has a positive impact on the educational process and
the results of students.
When considering the requirements for the professional development of
teachers, first of all, it is necessary to consider the most significant professional
qualities inherent in a teacher. One of the most significant professional qualities of
a teacher is professionalism.
Professional development of teachers is fundamental to improving the quality
of learning in schools. Teachers who are ready for continuous growth and
development are able to effectively adapt to new challenges and requirements of the
modern educational environment. Constant updating of knowledge, mastering of
new methods and integration of digital technologies allow teachers to become more
effective and successful in their profession, and school education - more qualitative,
interesting and engaging for students.
The methodology of teacher professional development can vary depending on
the context and specific conditions. It is aimed at ensuring continuous development
and improving the quality of education through the active involvement of teachers
in their professional development. Comprehension and generalization of the content
of the research materials were made on the basis of comparative international
analysis. Analysis of various documents, such as lesson plans, teachers' portfolios,
professional development reports and evaluation sheets, can provide insight into the
process and outcome of teachers' professional development. Group discussions and
focus groups involve organizing structured group discussions with educators to
share opinions, experiences and ideas about professional development.
This allows for the identification of common trends, challenges, and
professional development needs.
The methodology of professional development of an educator includes a
number of ways and strategies that contribute to his/her professional growth and
improvement of the quality of teaching. In this article, we will examine the key
pathways for educator professional development. One of the key pathways to
educator professional development is through continuous learning and self-
education.
This includes participation in professional courses, seminars, conferences and
trainings, as well as reading specialized literature and studying new research in the
field of education.
Interaction with colleagues and sharing experiences are important components
of an educator's professional development.
This may include joint lesson planning, discussing teaching methods,
conducting joint projects and analyzing the results of work.
Караев, Ж. А., Чокушева, А. И., Сагиндиков, И. У. Профессиональное развитие педагога как
условие повышения качества обучения в школах [Текст] // Научно-педагогический журнал «Білім».
– Астана: НАО имени И. Алтынсарина, 2023. – №2. – С. 155-165.

In the process of professional development D. Sewper distinguishes the

following stages:
1. Awakening stage (from birth to 14 years old). Self-concept develops due to
the child's identification with significant adults. In the first phase of this stage - the
phase of fantasy (4-10 years) - professional roles are played out in the child's
fantasies; in the phase of interests (11-12 years) professionally significant
preferences are formed; in the phase of abilities (13-14 years) individual abilities are
tested, and ideas about professional requirements and education appear.
2. Exploration phase (15 to 24 years). The individual tries himself in various
roles while focusing on his individual capabilities. In the tentative phase (15-17
years), a preliminary professional choice is made and one's own capabilities are
evaluated; in the approbation phase (20-24 years) one searches for a field of activity
in professional life. Between these two phases there is another one - the phase of
transition (17-20 years). In this phase there is an attempt to realize the self-concept.
3. Consolidation phase (25-44 years). The individual seeks a stable position
professionally.
4. In the preservation stage (36-64 years), professional development is already
going on without going beyond the found professional field, which is possible in the
previous stage.
 5. Decline stage (from the age of 65) the development of new roles takes place:
partial participation in professional life, observation of the professional activities of
others.

1.2 Professional competencies of an English teacher

Modern foreign language teachers are, of course, professionals in their field,

but they must have not only knowledge, but also certain competencies. Therefore,
the activity of a teacher is a combination of different types of pedagogical activity:
diagnostic, design, constructive, communicative, organizational, analytical,
corrective, effective-evaluative.
The diagnostic activity of the teacher is aimed at studying the individual
psychological characteristics of the student and the group of students. The diagnostic
results are used to adjust the educational process.
Design and constructive activities are aimed at predicting the further
development of the student and the children's team, including determining goals,
objectives, content, forms and methods of work, creating conditions, and planning
activities.
Organizational activities provide for a system of actions of teachers and
students with the aim of organizing a children's team and the harmonious
development of the personality of each student.
Communicative activities are aimed at creating pedagogically appropriate,
humane relationships between adults and children.
Analytical and corrective include analysis of the results of teaching activities,
making changes to the educational process in order to predict and achieve optimal
results of training, education and development of students.
Effective-evaluative activity is an assessment of the quality of teaching,
upbringing and development of each student, his level of upbringing, training and
education.
The teacher, being the subject of activity, manages the educational process,
ensures its educational, nurturing and developmental character.
Society is changing - the requirements for teachers are changing, and teaching
activities are being updated accordingly. In modern conditions it should be of a
humanistic nature.
The humanistic orientation of the teacher’s activity is manifested in the
recognition of man as the highest value on earth, awareness of the importance of the
personality of each child, and the ability to build relationships with children on the
basis of love and respect. The humanistic orientation of education, training and
upbringing provides for the humane development of the personality of each student,
his spiritual and moral qualities, pedagogical support and care for each child. The
manifestation of a humanistic style of relationship between teacher and students, the
basis of which is love, should be considered as an indicator of the professional skill
of the teacher. There is a pattern: what a teacher is as a Person, so is he as an
Educator. Professional standard of a teacher (Concept and content)// http://Ministry
of Education and Science.rf/documents/3071.
The term “professional competence” began to be actively used in the 90s of
the last century, and the concept itself is becoming the subject of special,
comprehensive study by many researchers involved in the problems of pedagogical
activity (N.V. Kuzmina, A.K. Markova, T.I. Rudneva , G.N. Steinov, etc.).
The professional competence of a teacher is understood as a set of professional
and personal qualities necessary for successful teaching activities.
A teacher who carries out teaching activities, pedagogical communication at
a sufficiently high level, and achieves consistently high results in teaching and
educating students can be called professionally competent.
The development of professional competence is the development of creative
individuality, the formation of sensitivity to pedagogical innovations, and the ability
to adapt to a changing pedagogical environment. The socio-economic and spiritual
development of society directly depends on the professional level of the teacher.
The changes taking place in the modern education system make it necessary
to improve the qualifications and professionalism of the teacher, i.e., his professional
competence. The main goal of modern education is to meet the current and future
needs of the individual, society and the state, to prepare a well-rounded personality
as a citizen of his country, capable of social adaptation in society, starting a career,
self-education and self-improvement. And a free-thinking teacher who predicts the
results of his activities and models the educational process is a guarantor of
achieving his goals. That is why at present there has been a sharp increase in the
demand for a qualified, creatively thinking, competitive teacher who is capable of
educating an individual in a modern, dynamically changing world.
Based on modern requirements, we can determine the main ways to develop
a teacher’s professional competence:
1. Work in methodological associations, creative groups;
2. Research and experimental activities;
3. Innovative activities, development of new pedagogical technologies;
4. Various forms of pedagogical support;
5. Active participation in pedagogical competitions, master classes, forums
and festivals;
6. Generalization of one’s own teaching experience;
7. Use of ICT.
But none of the listed methods will be effective if the teacher himself does not
realize the need to improve his own professional competence. This implies the need
for motivation and creating favorable conditions for pedagogical growth. It is
necessary to create conditions in which the teacher independently realizes the need
to improve the level of his own professional qualities.
Analysis of one’s own teaching experience activates the teacher’s professional
self-development, as a result of which research skills are developed, which are then
integrated into teaching activities. The teacher must be involved in the process of
managing the development of the school, which contributes to the development of
his professionalism.
 The development of professional competence is a dynamic process of
assimilation and modernization of professional experience, leading to the
development of individual professional qualities, the accumulation of professional
experience, implying continuous development and self-improvement.
We can distinguish the stages of formation of professional competence:
· self-analysis and awareness of the need;
· self-development planning (goals, objectives, solutions);
· self-expression, analysis, self-correction.
The formation of professional competence is a cyclical process, because In
the process of pedagogical activity, constant improvement of professionalism is
necessary, and each time the listed stages are repeated, but in a new quality. In
general, the process of self-development is biologically determined and associated
with the socialization and individualization of the individual, who consciously
organizes her own life, and therefore her own development. The process of
developing professional competence also strongly depends on the environment,
therefore it is the environment that should stimulate professional self-
development. A democratic management system must be created at the school. This
includes a system of incentives for employees, and various forms of pedagogical
monitoring, which include surveys, testing, interviews, and intra-school events for
the exchange of experience, competitions, and presentation of one’s own
achievements. These forms of stimulation make it possible to reduce the level of
emotional anxiety of the teacher and influence the formation of a beneficial
psychological atmosphere in the team of Kochergin I.G. Professional and
pedagogical competence of a foreign language teacher //
http://festival.1september.ru/articles/559233/.
Thus, it can be noted that a teacher or pedagogue, in a professional or
secondary level of education, educational institution, of a certain orientation must
have certain competencies, a certain professional level and personal qualities. But
the most important thing in a teacher of special subjects, and especially foreign
languages, should be dedication and a desire to improve both their own knowledge
and the level of knowledge of their students. And of course, the teacher must be
aware of his place in the education system, the significance of the influence of their
knowledge and skills on students and the need for this work.
Of course, you can talk a lot about the topic of competencies and their
development, but in practice, most often they are not implemented, which primarily
depends on the teacher himself, and if the person working with students does not
realize his influence on them, then the result will not always be comforting
. Therefore, in the implementation of teaching activities, it is necessary to think
about the conditions in which it was necessary to implement the requirements for
the level and knowledge of the teacher and it is certainly necessary to understand
that the competence of the teacher himself, his professionalism and level of
knowledge is not always the key to successful teaching activities, since the system
of interaction with students It also depends on the emotional component, which
means that not only competence-based, but also personal approaches should be taken
into account when working, checking or adjusting teaching activities.
 Therefore, when talking about professionalism, it is necessary to take into
account the fact that a teacher, especially a teacher of a foreign language - English,
must not only strive to instill in the student any knowledge, but also delve into the
characteristics of the students, develop approaches to each of the group, and
precisely a personal approach will allow students to realize professional knowledge
and skills.

2 Practical study of professional self-development of English teachers

There are certain stages in the professional development of a teacher: 1)

adaptation, i.e. mastering profession, when motivation is formed, meanings are
found, occurs the formation of the “I-image”; 2) acme, i.e. professional competence,
there is a comprehension of the profession and oneself in it; 3) self-realization with
the activity, an active position and resistance to deformations are formed; 4)
stagnation, when activity decreases the teacher, the meanins are lost, the oersistent
rejection of everything new is settled.
A number of professional development activities for language teachers have
been recommended by scholars (e.g. Gebhard 2009; Murray 2010; Richards 2015).
These include:
• Expanding our understanding of language teaching (via going online;
attending workshops/seminars/conferences; reading (or writing for) professional
magazines/journals; doing participatory practitioner research; joining
teacher/professional organizations; joining teacher support groups; virtual
networking with the help of telegram, etc.)
• Expanding our teaching skills (through taking courses such as CELTA,
DELTA, TKT; teaching classes of different kinds and levels; team teaching;
attending a workshop; reviewing and reflecting on ones' teaching; keeping journals;
writing narratives; reflective teaching; analyzing a critical incident; keeping a
teaching portfolio)
• Collaborating with other teachers/establishing a learning community
(through peer coaching; mentoring; peer observation; study/discussion groups;
shared lesson planning; making critical friends).
Professional development in TESOL
Teacher training approaches emerged in the 1960 and provide the basis for the
large number of certified TESOL courses offered by training organizations
worldwide, such as Trinity College and International House. In teacher training, the
focus is on provision of basic skills to prepare teachers for their first experiences
with teaching. The goal is practical mastery of basic knowledge and skills or
competencies needed in the classroom. Teacher training follows a top-down, expert-
driven process where an outsider delivers the training and models the teaching.
Training-oriented courses are appropriate for beginning teachers where they learn
how to translate knowledge into practice and how to teach discrete skills and
subskills of the language (such as how to plan a lesson or how to teach a dialogue)
with an emphasis on procedures, techniques and strategies required to deliver an
English lesson, often following a lesson template such as the P-P-P (Presentation-
Practice-Production) lesson. The assumption is that training activities help student
teachers to make the transition from the course-room to the classroom. Teacher
training has been described as 'front-loading' by Freeman (1993) where teachers are
provided with the needed knowledge and skills needed for functioning in the
classroom before they start their career. However, it is also assumed that training is
just the first stage in a rather longitudinal developmental process, i.e. teacher
development.
Teacher development serves the long-term goal of understanding the nature
of teaching and the teacher's understanding of teaching including the teacher's role,
the teaching context and an understanding of learners and learning. It builds on
teacher training through a deeper understanding of the professional knowledge base
of language teaching and focuses on the teacher as a person as well as on the overall
process of teaching rather than segregated teaching practices. Teacher learning
(Johnson and Freeman 2001) is considered as a constantly evolving process of
growth and change where both teachers' understanding is expanded and their
knowledge and skills repertoire increase. Learning in teacher development is
expected to take place through participation, cooperation and socialization; indeed
the cumulative knowledge is co-constructed and shared through the process of
internalization. Richards (2008) suggests that teacher development is 'a form of
socialization into the professional thinking and practices of a community of practice'
(160). Once regarded merely as a cognitive activity and as translating knowledge
and theories into practice, teacher learning is now considered as 'constructing new
knowledge and theory through participating in specific social contexts and engaging
in particular types of activities and processes' (164). Learning is seen as a contextual
phenomenon, emerging through interaction with other social partners including
students and teachers. It is this reconceptualisation that makes professional
development relevant to the focus of this paper.
The Importance of Professional Development Quality English teaching
requires the provision of continuing opportunities for professional development.
Teachers need:
• access to new research and knowledge in the teaching of literacy, language
development and an integrated curriculum;
• appropriate, up to date qualifications in both the content area of the subject
and in teaching methodology;
• opportunities to share expertise with other experienced teachers and
educators leading to reflection on practice;
• opportunities for discipline renewal for teachers whose teacher education
took place some years ago;
• a commitment at all levels to time release to attend professional development
activities; and
• recognition at all levels of the value of professional development.
 Quality teaching is directly related to the development of a strong, well
informed and well supported professional body to respond to community and
educational concerns and to influence opinion. Access to professional development
is crucial in enabling teachers to:
• improve learning outcomes for students;
• take a more active role in curriculum planning, including building on and
refining existing practices;
• constantly develop excellent teaching practices;
• actively participate in the evaluation of teaching practices and programs;
and
• actively participate in the implementation of local, state and national
curriculum initiatives.
Levels and Models of Professional Development If teachers' new knowledge
is to lead to more effective teaching and learning in classrooms, schools and systems
must provide conditions which support continuing education for teachers. This will
require the provision of time when teachers can meet to discuss new information
with colleagues, and to test, reflect on, and evaluate its effectiveness in classrooms.
Effective dissemination of information by other means including publications is also
required.
The following are key focuses for professional development:
• pre-service education;
• inservice within schools (including mentoring and workshadowing);
• inservice outside of schools;
• staff support e.g. consultants, curriculum advisers;
• formal retraining courses; and
• publications and information dissemination. System level and individual
professional development initiatives are equally important.
An effective professional development program will focus on the
development of the teacher in the context of the school community. Professional
development should:
• empower participants – teachers in control;
• meet the identified needs of teachers, faculties and schools;
• be challenging;
• be informative;
• be innovative;
• be well planned;
• build skills;
• involve active participation;
• have realistic, achievable expectations;
• involve team work;
• link theory and practice;
• use informed presenters to share their experience or research;
• have a variety of approaches and styles;
• elicit feedback and respond to this as appropriate;
• be ongoing;
 • have formative and summative evaluation processes;
• encourage networking; and
• be professionally fulfilling and enjoyable.

2.1 Self-education

One of the main mechanisms for increasing the professional competence of a

teacher is his self-education. Today, a wide variety of forms of organizing teacher
self-education are used: professional retraining, continuous professional
development, work on an individual educational trajectory, many courses from
regional educational development institutes.
If a teacher is constantly in search of new knowledge and is engaged in self-
development, then the results will definitely have a positive impact on the
educational process. Moreover, this will also lead to the personal development of
the teacher. He prescribes a list of results that must be achieved within a certain
period. For example, improving the quality of academic performance, developing
teaching aids, articles, reports, speaking at events at various levels, developing
didactic materials, etc. This will increase the teacher’s level of interest in his
professional activities, which will lead not only to personal and professional
development, but will also help increase the level of education.
Self-education is an improvement in the quality of teaching a subject,
readiness for pedagogical creativity, professional and career growth, creating the
image of a teacher-mentor, and the teacher’s compliance with the requirements of
society and the state.
Self-education of a teacher is a necessary condition for the professional
activity of a teacher. Society has always placed, and will continue to place, the
highest demands on teachers. In order to teach others you need to know more than
others. A teacher must know not only his subject and master the methods of teaching
it, but also have knowledge in nearby scientific fields, various spheres of public life,
navigate modern politics, economics, etc. A teacher must constantly learn, because
the faces of his students change every year. temporary stages, ideas about the world
around us deepen and even change. The ability for self-education is not developed
in a teacher along with a diploma from a pedagogical university. This ability is
determined by the psychological and intellectual indicators of each individual
teacher, but no less this ability is developed in the process of working with sources
of information, analysis and self-analysis, monitoring one’s own activities and the
activities of colleagues.
However, no matter how high a teacher’s abilities for self-education are, this
process is not always implemented in practice. The reasons most often given by
teachers are lack of time, lack of sources of information, lack of incentives, etc. This
is just a manifestation of inertia of thinking and laziness of the mind, since self-
improvement should be an integral need of every teacher.
 Motives that encourage teachers to self-education:
1. Daily work with information. When preparing for a lesson, a speech, a
parent meeting, a class hour, a school-wide event, an Olympiad, etc., a teacher needs
to search for and analyze new information.
2. Desire for creativity. A teacher is a creative profession. A creative
person will not be able to work according to the same yellowed lesson plan or script
from year to year, or read the same reports. There must be a desire for more. Work
should be interesting and enjoyable.
3. The rapid growth of modern science. Especially psychology and
pedagogy. In the age of automobiles, it is no good to use a cart
4. Changes taking place in the life of society. These changes primarily
affect students, shape their worldview, and accordingly, very often, form the image
of the teacher as an “unmodern person”
5. Competition. It is no secret that many parents, when bringing their child
to school, ask to join a class with a specific teacher, subject teacher or class
teacher. If a teacher is in good standing with the administration, methodological
council, department of public education, he has more rights in choosing classes,
workload, etc.
6. Public opinion. The teacher is not indifferent to whether he is
considered “good” or “bad.” It's a shame to be a bad teacher.
7. Financial incentives. The category of a teacher, the opinion of the
certification commission, bonuses, allowances, and maybe even titles and
government awards - all this depends on the qualifications and skill of the
teacher. This cannot be achieved without constantly acquiring new knowledge.
8. Interest. It's just interesting to learn.

2.2 Constant work with language

First of all, it is worth saying that the most important point for the development
of professional growth of an English teacher is constant work with the language. The
teacher must maintain his knowledge at the proper level. According to the Common
European Framework of Reference (CEFR), which was developed at the end of the
20th century, foreign language proficiency is usually divided into 6 levels. In 2001,
the Council of Europe decided to use the CEFR to assess linguistic competence in
any language that is studied as a foreign language. According to the CEFR system,
students' foreign language knowledge is divided into 3 groups, each of which in turn
is divided into 2 groups. This is what the English language proficiency levels look
like on the CEFR scale:
A - Basic User:
A1 - Survival Level - Beginner and Elementary
A2 - Pre-threshold level (Waystage - Pre-Intermediate)
B - Independent User:
B1—Threshold—Intermediate
B2 - Threshold advanced level (Vantage - Upper-Intermediate)
 C - Proficient User:
C1 - Effective Operational Proficiency - Advanced
C2 - Level of mastery (Mastery - Proficiency) [5].
A teacher in a secondary school must maintain his knowledge at the B2-C1
level, which requires a lot of effort and preparation. To do this, you need to
systematically attend advanced training courses and various language courses.
Moreover, it would be preferable to organize trips abroad with students to practice
the language and study the culture of the country whose language the students are
learning.

2.3 Certificates for English teachers

The best thing about being certified is not just the certificate or diploma and
the higher salary, but also the experience itself. Having a certificate will give you
powerful tools for teaching and to see the profession from another perspective. If
you mix your previous experience with the course, you'll feel ready to rock the
world! And if you don't have experience at all, you'll obtain a very good guide to
start with the right foot in your new career.
So, have you thought about the better options of certifications for ESL
teachers that are in the market and what are the differences between them?
Choosing The Right Certification
First, you need to know that there's a difference between being certified as an
English Speaker and being certified as an English Teacher. To accomplish the first,
you can choose to have a certification or diploma from the institute or school where
you learned English (if you are not a native-speaker), or you can take one of the two
famous tests:
• IELTS
IELTS's name is the acronym for “International English Language Testing
System” and it is very popular in the UK. The test has two versions, one that is called
“IELTS Academic” and another one that is called “IELTS General Training”, so you
choose the one that’s better for you. In case you’re looking for a job, the second
version is the one that you need. They will evaluate your listening, reading, writing
and speaking before giving you a score between 1 and 9 for each section.
• TOEFL
TOEFL's name is the acronym for “Test of English as a Foreign Language”
and it is practically the same as the IELTS, but it is more popular in the USA or in
the countries where American English is mainly spoken or taught. They
have different types of tests, and each one of them evaluates the same aspects as
IELTS: Listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
So, after having these certifications, you need to choose one of the following
courses, which will make you a certified ESL or EFL teacher. At the end, all of them
will qualify you as an English teacher, but they will differentiate in the methods that
they teach and in the system that they have to finish the courses.
• TESOL
 TESOL Certification's name is the acronym for "Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages" and as we said before, it will provide you with tools
and skills to use in the classroom. It has different levels and you can choose to do a
longer or a shorter one according to your experience teaching and/or your needs.
This course is very popular in the USA and Australia, and it can be used to work in
both non-native and native English speaking countries. This certification can prepare
you to teach English to business people or even to immigrants or refugees who need
to adapt to their new country.
• TEFL
TEFL's name is the acronym for "Teaching English as a Foreign Language”.
It is very similar to the TESOL certification, but this one is more popular in the UK.
It is a certification accepted anywhere in the world, and it is used mainly for teaching
in non-native English speaking countries. You can always do it if you have a native-
level capacity to speak English. There are different institutions that offer the courses,
so it is up to you to choose the one that you like the most.
• TESL
TESL's name is the acronym for "Teaching English as a Second Language",
and it gives teachers the tools to teach to immigrants or people who live in a country
where English is the native language. So different to TOEFL and TESOL, TESL is
more related to teach in English speaking countries. As a result, the test is more
popular between native-speakers who are looking to work in their home countries.
• TKT
TKT's name is the acronym for “Teaching English Test”. It is considered a
start point to take an advanced qualification such as the CELTA or the DELTA. The
TKT has three modules: the first is called “Background to Language Teaching”, the
second is called “Planning for Language Teaching” and the third is called
“Classroom Management”. You can choose to take them separated or combined,
depending on your availability and requirements or needs.
• CELTA
CELTA's name is the acronym for “Certificate for English Language
Teaching to Adults”. It is an advanced qualification provided by The University of
Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), and it is highly required by
important institutions such as the British Council, for example. For doing the
CELTA, you’ll need an English qualification and to be at least 20 years old. They
offer two options to study it: you can do it online (13 to 14 weeks with internship
periods) or you can do it In-Class (4 weeks with an internship period too).
• DELTA
DELTA's name is the acronym for “Diploma in English Language Teaching
to Adults”, and it is the advanced qualification that TEFL Organization has. The test
has three modules: the first one is about the language comprehension, methodology
and teaching resources. The second is about developing a professional method, and
in the third you choose if you want to learn about a developing a better professional
method or about English teaching management.
2.4 Conferences and seminars
 Results of the survey of participants Philologists-forum showed that the
greatest influence on their professional growth is training in advanced training
courses, participation in conferences, seminars and master classes, training in
distance courses and online seminars. Among the factors limiting professional
growth, teachers note a lack of professional knowledge and experience, insufficient
ability to plan and implement the trajectory of their development. [Professional
development strategies foreign language teacher; SIMONOVA O.A., SITNIKOVA
A.Y., CHMYKH I.E., ZABIROVA V.K. ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ И ПРАВО № 8 • 2018
169-173].
There are a lot of seminars and conferences for teachers in Kazakhstan. I
would like to give an example of a community of teachers in Kazakhstan who want
to develop “Scholarium”. Scholarium often organizes offline master classes,
conferences, workshops, marathons and trainings for English teachers. There,
qualified methodologists and teacher educators share their experiences. It is the first
community of language teachers in Kazakhstan. Their goal is not only to gather
teachers for interactive sessions, but also to help the education sector in our country
with all our efforts.
Another association for the professional development of English language
teachers is KazAELT.
KazAELT (Kazakhstani Association of English Language Teachers)
association for the professional development of English teachers in Kazakhstan.
Established in 2022, they have wasted no time in making a significant impact. They
have already organized a series of highly successful online seminars featuring
renowned ELT speakers from around the world. KazAELT'S aim is to provide
valuable insights and empower English teachers across the country.
By becoming part of community, you have taken a significant step towards
your own professional development, and KazAELT is excited to embark on this
journey together.
At KazAELT, they believe in the power of collaboration and continuous
growth. Also recognize that by nurturing and supporting teachers, they can make a
profound impact on the lives of hundreds of students throughout the country. Every
teacher they inspire, empower, and equip with the necessary tools and knowledge
has the potential to positively transform the language learning experience for their
students
Association is built on the principles of sharing expertise, fostering
innovation, and fostering a strong sense of community.
KAZAELT helps you:
• If you want to be an innovative teacher in fostering an effective
language learning and excel your teaching skills and transform your
classes.
• If you are looking for ways to improve your teaching and your
students' learning, KazAELT is a long-running subscription that
 assists you with evidence-based ideas, teaching tips, and strategies
that promote learning for all students.
• If you want to be a member of the wider community of English
language teaching professionals and build your professional network.
KazAELT offers:
• Professional Development Programmes;
• Opportunities of the IATEFL Conference Attendance at a special
associate rate;
• Teachers' community in your city with a coordinator;Teaching IELTS
webinars with guest speakers;Materials, e-resources only for members;
• Certificate of attendance after each webinar;
• Opportunity to get published in our ELT magazine.

Conclusion

If a teacher is constantly in search of new knowledge and is engaged in self-

development, then the results will definitely have a positive impact on the
educational process. Moreover, this will also lead to the personal development of
the teacher. He prescribes a list of results that must be achieved within a certain
period. For example, improving the quality of academic performance, developing
teaching aids, articles, reports, speaking at events at various levels, developing
didactic materials, etc. This will increase the teacher’s level of interest in his
professional activities, which will lead not only to personal and professional
development, but will also help increase the level of education.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the development of professional
pedagogical competencies is a fundamental condition that directly affects the quality
of the educational process. A modern teacher is a professional whose skill is
determined by the level of his professionalism and self-development. A modern
teacher is always developing and striving for success and leads to the success of his
students.
 List of sources
https://www.upskillist.pro/blog/the-importance-and-benefits-of-professional-
development/