The Effectiveness of “Training Course for English Teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan” and Improving Teachers’ Confidence

Abstract

This study aims to describe and analyze the “Training Course for English Teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan” and to show its positive and negative sides. Also tries to show the suggestions and recommendations toward the variability of the course to assess the suitable design in providing future courses. For this purpose, a questionnaire that contains two parts was designed in this study: First part consists of seven open-ended questions regarding demographic data and teachers’ experiences in teaching the English language, to show attendees’ attitudes and their reactions towards the course. And the second part is requesting participants to answer 8+2 questions that show perceptions (satisfied/dissatisfied) with the course.  Apart from that, three of the participants (who were in the first part of the questionnaire responded that will not participate in similar courses) were interviewed and requested to answer three questions about the effectiveness, weaknesses of the course, and their recommendations. The significant finding of the study is that this course is momentous for training teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan, as they are teaching a new curriculum (Sunrise, since 2007, which was changed from the old one in the governmental decision) in secondary and high schools. Besides, the study investigated that more training courses must be administrated to familiarize the teachers with the curriculum and techniques for teaching it.