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Education & Teaching vocabulary · Teacher Training and Development

Professional development

Meaning in education & teaching, with examples

nounCore term

In education & teaching, professional development means: Training, courses and other learning that teachers take part in during their careers to improve their knowledge and teaching skills.

In Turkish: mesleki gelişim, hizmet içi eğitim

How it is used

Often shortened to PD in the US and CPD (continuing professional development) in the UK. Schools organize PD days, and teachers attend PD sessions, workshops and conferences. Job ads often mention 'opportunities for professional development'.

Example sentences

  1. Friday is a professional development day, so there are no classes for students.

  2. This year our professional development focuses on assessment for learning.

Common collocations

  • continuing professional development
  • professional development day
  • professional development session
  • opportunities for professional development
  • reflective practiceThe habit of thinking carefully about your own teaching, what worked, what did not and why, in order to learn from experience and improve.
  • mentorAn experienced teacher who supports, advises and observes a trainee or new teacher, helping them develop their teaching.
  • lesson observationA visit in which a colleague, mentor or school leader watches a lesson in order to give feedback, support development or evaluate teaching.
  • inductionA program of support, training and assessment for teachers in their first year or years of teaching, or for any staff member who is new to a school.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Teacher Training and Development

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