Tom Connelly
Tom Connelly is the Senior Academic Advisor for the Books and Bits Education. Prior to this he was the ELT Advisor for the British Council in Chile from 2012-16. He has an MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT from Surrey University in the UK and recently obtained the International Diploma in Language Teaching Management (IDLTM) from Cambridge ESOL. Tom has 15 years' experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, materials and syllabus writer, test designer and project manager in the area of English as a Foreign Language working in Spain, Mexico, Chile and the UK.
Since 2012, Tom has worked closely with the Chilean Ministry of Education (English Opens Doors Program) in the planning of projects that benefit English teachers and learners and in the state education system in Chile, an experience he describes as challenging but equally inspiring. One of the projects he coordinated for the British Council and the Ministry of Education, Chile was the Initial University Teacher Training Seminars project, a “bottom-up” initiative for Heads of university English departments in Chilean universities to improve standards in pre-service EFL teaching. He also conceived and managed the "Champion Teachers" project (2013-to date), a groundbreaking Exploratory Action Research scheme for Chilean EFL teachers for the British Council in conjunction with the Chilean Ministry of Education.
Tom has taught General and Applied Linguistics for The British University and Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Santiago as well as a local tutor for the University of London (Institute of Education) and is currently teaching on Universidad Los Andes’ MA TESOL program. His professional interests include EFL teacher CPD, public education policy, online language teaching and learning and the development of post methods curriculums In schools and universities.
He spends his summers fly-fishing and enjoying fine Chilean wine. He has no hobbies as he is the father of twins.
Supervisors: Annjeannette Martin
Since 2012, Tom has worked closely with the Chilean Ministry of Education (English Opens Doors Program) in the planning of projects that benefit English teachers and learners and in the state education system in Chile, an experience he describes as challenging but equally inspiring. One of the projects he coordinated for the British Council and the Ministry of Education, Chile was the Initial University Teacher Training Seminars project, a “bottom-up” initiative for Heads of university English departments in Chilean universities to improve standards in pre-service EFL teaching. He also conceived and managed the "Champion Teachers" project (2013-to date), a groundbreaking Exploratory Action Research scheme for Chilean EFL teachers for the British Council in conjunction with the Chilean Ministry of Education.
Tom has taught General and Applied Linguistics for The British University and Universidad Alberto Hurtado in Santiago as well as a local tutor for the University of London (Institute of Education) and is currently teaching on Universidad Los Andes’ MA TESOL program. His professional interests include EFL teacher CPD, public education policy, online language teaching and learning and the development of post methods curriculums In schools and universities.
He spends his summers fly-fishing and enjoying fine Chilean wine. He has no hobbies as he is the father of twins.
Supervisors: Annjeannette Martin
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Books by Tom Connelly
Their description of the difficulties they faced provides important lessons for anyone designing similar programmes. They discovered that decisions on such things as the choice of online platform and even when to begin the project had important implications for teachers' capacity to become involved. However, what is striking is that, in spite of the difficulties, the project showed that even in conditions which seem hostile to CPD there will always be teachers whose sense of vocation and whose desire for self-improvement will push them to overcome obstacles in their path. Yet they also found that teachers' commitment needs to be complemented by enabling conditions that take account of contextual constraints and provide forms of engagement which fit the pattern of their everyday lives. A significant enabling condition was an official Ministry of Education letter approving teachers' participation in the project, another example of the importance of top-down/bottom-up synergy for effective CPD evident in other chapters in this volume. Ultimately, the project succeeded in demonstrating the capacity of teachers to engage in research as a form of CPD, despite their difficult working conditions. Teachers' own narratives exemplify the professional learning that took place, their capacity to analyse their own practice, and its impact on their relationships with their students. Above all, teachers felt empowered by the experience, or in the words of one teacher: 'You realise that you can make a change and that it is in your hands'.
- See more at: http://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/continuing-professional-development/teacher-research-continuing-professional-development#sthash.WaR5Yj8s.dpuf
Papers by Tom Connelly
Their description of the difficulties they faced provides important lessons for anyone designing similar programmes. They discovered that decisions on such things as the choice of online platform and even when to begin the project had important implications for teachers' capacity to become involved. However, what is striking is that, in spite of the difficulties, the project showed that even in conditions which seem hostile to CPD there will always be teachers whose sense of vocation and whose desire for self-improvement will push them to overcome obstacles in their path. Yet they also found that teachers' commitment needs to be complemented by enabling conditions that take account of contextual constraints and provide forms of engagement which fit the pattern of their everyday lives. A significant enabling condition was an official Ministry of Education letter approving teachers' participation in the project, another example of the importance of top-down/bottom-up synergy for effective CPD evident in other chapters in this volume. Ultimately, the project succeeded in demonstrating the capacity of teachers to engage in research as a form of CPD, despite their difficult working conditions. Teachers' own narratives exemplify the professional learning that took place, their capacity to analyse their own practice, and its impact on their relationships with their students. Above all, teachers felt empowered by the experience, or in the words of one teacher: 'You realise that you can make a change and that it is in your hands'.
- See more at: http://englishagenda.britishcouncil.org/continuing-professional-development/teacher-research-continuing-professional-development#sthash.WaR5Yj8s.dpuf