CURRICULUM INNOVATION AND ENGLISHAS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (EFL) TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Few of the numerous studies of innovation in the field of education report on innovations that have been successful. After an extensive study of educational change programmes, Parish and Arrends (1983) conclude that educational innovations had approximately a twenty per cent success rate. This is not surprising when we consider the complex nature of innovation. Not only do we need to consider the forces operating both outside and within the organization implementing change, but also the situations of those who are most affected by the change. More recently, the management of change has become the focus for researchers interested in curriculum implementation. There is now an increasing body of knowledge and expertise about the change process itself and this article documents the steps in affective educational change, as well as outlining a professional development programme for Thai EFL teachers.