Competencies of a successful adult ESOL instructor: exploring the TESOL Standards

The proposed study explores the existing Standards for TESOL instructors, particularly their potential and current use as a framework for self-assessment and goal-setting as part of ongoing professional learning. The researcher has made meaning of each standard for herself and has made her learning process public to enhance professionalism in the field of ESL teaching and to contribute to a community of practice that supports ongoing learning. She gathered greater understanding of each standard by drawing on the literature, her own experience as a student in a TESOL course, and the insights of experienced ESL instructors as revealed in interviews. Author and experienced participants see value in the Standards as a framework for self-assessment and professional learning if they are introduced in certification programs and reviewed periodically and collaboratively by collegial teams of instructors. Suggestions for making the standards more accessible and useful are offered. --Leaf ii.