From 28th July to 8th August, the 2025 Professional Development Workshop for English Teachers at Zhejiang Wanli University was successfully held. The workshop established a mutually empowering communication platform between experts and educators. During the event, teachers engaged in in-depth discussions with industry experts, bringing forth reflections from their teaching practices. Through this exchange of ideas, they explored pathways for pedagogical improvement, collectively composing a new chapter of two-way professional development.

Teaching Accumulation

The deep cultivation of foundational skills serves as the cornerstone of professional advancement. In this module, the teachers embarked on a journey to refine their pedagogical expertise. Beginning with an educational perspective, they engaged in in-depth discussions on the “ The Reflective Teacher”, gradually constructing a framework for critical teaching thinking through case analyses and group debates. They also explored the practical application of “Aims and objectives in teaching and learning-theory & practice”, transforming abstract concepts into measurable classroom goal designs. Each intellectual exchange further clarified their understanding of teaching methodologies.

From honing skills in speaking and reading instruction to targeted breakthroughs in IELTS listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and further polishing the nuances of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation teaching, educators elevated their already solid pedagogical expertise. Through case studies and simulated drills, they conducted in-depth analyses of logical structuring in oral expression and deconstruction strategies for reading texts. Tailored to the unique demands of the IELTS exam, they developed phased, task-specific intensive training plans, ensuring precise enhancement of specialised competencies.

Innovative Practice

Innovation serves as the lifeblood of dynamic classrooms. In this phase, educators courageously pushed beyond traditional teaching boundaries. Through “Classroom Energy and Language Cultivation”, they refined their instructional language to become more engaging, fostering smoother and more natural teacher-student interactions. By incorporating “Large-Class Teaching with Dramatic Techniques”, they infused lessons with vitality, creating a more vibrant collective learning atmosphere. Further expanding pedagogical horizons, explorations in “Youth Empowerment and Cross-Cultural Development” broadened teaching perspectives. The integration of AI-assisted instruction harnessed technology to enhance teaching methodologies, unlocking new possibilities for innovation.

Feedback & Refinement

In the teaching practice segment, the “Preparation – Implementation – Guidance” cycle of microteaching accelerated the transformation of innovative concepts into tangible classroom results, ensuring each trial lesson had clear developmental focus. Through iterative refinement of lesson planning and feedback-informed adjustments, instructional designs were progressively aligned with students' cognitive patterns—each session evolving closer to pedagogical excellence through continuous iteration.

Closing Ceremony

At the concluding session, the participating teachers reflected on the workshop journey: from deepening foundational pedagogical concepts and refining teaching techniques, to expanding innovative practices through scenario-based optimisation, sharing their collective growth. Certificates of completion were then awarded, followed by a group photo session. After brief closing remarks, attendees exchanged insights gained from the training, bringing this professional development experience to a fitting close.

While this intensive training has drawn to a close, it marks the beginning of a fresh pedagogical journey. Armed with consolidated foundational skills and inspired by innovative practices, our educators now return to their classrooms. These hard-won insights will transform into daily teaching wisdom and momentum, propelling English language instruction to new heights. Moving forward, we shall continue this shared endeavour – cultivating the fertile ground of education together, writing the next inspiring chapter in our teaching odyssey.