The Importance of CPD of in-service EFL Teachers in Indonesia: Suggestions for Collaborative Professional Development

This essay aims to explore the need of in-service teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia to pursue Continuing Professional Development (CPD) by explaining what this means for the teachers and including some perspectives, types, and implementation of CPD. Based on some explorations of related literature reviews, my reflections on teaching practice, and some recent issues concerning Teacher Development (TD) in Indonesia, some suggestions for collaborative Professional Development (PD) is offered. As the result, this essay outlines the advantages of implementing collaborative PD to fulfil the needs of in-service TEFL in Indonesia, which could be acquired through mentoring as one way to pursue CPD. Based on related literature review, this essay will give suggestions on applying collaborative PD through mentoring which, it will be argued, can generate positive impacts for in-service TEFL in Indonesia. By mentoring, teachers may have opportunities to do self-reflection, appreciate their achievements, have some correction on their practices, and learn from others’ practices as well as help one another. It is hoped that this essay may give useful information and knowledge for teachers, teacher educators, trainers, and governments about the needs of CPD and why implementation of collaborative PD through mentoring in Indonesia is recommended. For further research, this essay may contribute to some extension of related studies or suggestions from other teachers or researchers based on their experiences and perspectives of pursuing CPD through collaborative PD. Keywords: CPD, in-service TEFL, collaborative PD, teacher development, mentoring