May 2009 Volume 5 Issue 1
Article 2.
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Article Title
A Case Study of Teachers’ English Learning

Author
Yi-Ching Huang
Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Bio Data
Yi-Ching Huang received her Ph.D degree from The University of New York at Buffalo.  She is currently working in the Department of Applied Foreign Languages at Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taiwan as an assistant professor.  

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Abstract
The purpose of this qualitative research was to examine the extent to which Taiwanese educators in one selected high school in Taiwan viewed their English language study group as a form of staff development and professional learning community that contributes to their professional growth or learning. This case study employed the following data collection techniques: (1) informal observations and interviews, (2) focus group interview, (3) semi-structured individual interviews, and (4) documents and records. The site selected for this study was one selected high school in Chia-Yi City in Taiwan. Participants in this teacher study group argued that the group provides a better form of professional development than traditional professional development activities because it was a teacher-directed activity in an informal format, and provided on-going opportunities to meet their needs. The concerns and challenges of the study group identified by the participants in this study include: a) the role of facilitators, b) the impact on improving teaching practice and students’ performance, and c) lack of school-wide impact. The members also believed that this collaborative group promoted both collective and individual growth in a supportive learning environment and thereby functioned as a learning community.

Key words: Learning community; Professional development; Study groups.