Philippine E-Journals

Learning study involves collaborative lesson planning of teachers of the same grade level on a double lesson which has been reported to be an effective means of fostering teacher development (Lewis, Perry & Hurd, 2004). The researcher has been involved in two learning study projects in 2002 to 2003 and 2004 to 2005. This paper reports on the researcher's experience of conducting learning study projects in two different primary schools in Hong Kong. Drawing on field notes, discussion records, lesson plans and observation of the research lessons, this paper compares the process of teacher development through learning study in the two different schools and reports the researcher's evolved understanding of learning study and teacher development through the process of being a participant observer in the projects. It is found that though learning study was conducted by the same researcher in the two different schools, teacher development varied because of the different backgrounds and group dynamics of the teachers and the maturing understanding of the researcher on the process of learning study. The paper will shed light on how learning study and the interactions between teachers' enactive learning and conceptual input can facilitate in-service teacher development especially in the teaching of English to young second language learners.