Secondary English language teacher educators: voices from Bangladesh

Given the heightened attention regarding the professional development of teachers, teacher education is regarded as a critical field to be investigated and evaluated more profoundly. While trainee teachers have been the primary foci of teacher education scholarship, the perspectives and experiences of teacher educators (in this study context, teacher trainers also), have not been explored to the same extent, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh. This study, using a qualitative case study research paradigm, attempts to fill the gap. As a part of a doctoral project, seven English language teacher educators and ten trained English language teachers working in the secondary English language education context in Bangladesh were interviewed. The findings revealed that the teacher educators were not fully prepared for their task, expressed critical concerns regarding their professional development as well as the bureaucratic milieu within which they work, and were uncertain about career prospects. The paper, thus, reflecting on the voices of teacher trainers, concludes with a set of recommendations for improving and sustaining the quality of teacher educators/ trainers in Bangladesh.