The CATESOL Journal

Many teacher-development models posit teacher learning as a linear process in which teachers build skills and knowledge while progressing through different stages of expertise. Although this model is attractive for many reasons and often does seem to shed light on some of the aspects of teacher development, this author’s own experience largely does not conform to this linear trajectory. In this article, the author describes changes in several aspects of her practice during the course of her 1st year as an ESL teacher at an Intensive English Program (IEP). She situates developments of specific skills, attitudes, and beliefs about teaching within her continually shifting understanding of the interplay between theory and practice.