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Tell us a little about your background. How, when and why did you move into teacher education?
My name is Vu Tran-Thanh. I am currently an ESRC-funded doctoral researcher at the School of Education, Durham University, UK. Prior to my doctoral studies, I worked as a high school ESOL teacher and teacher trainer in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for nine years.
I founded and run a professional learning community called TESOL Research Collaboration Network where my colleagues and I gather and support untrained Vietnamese language education researchers. Besides our collaborative activities, we run professional development workshops for language teachers twice a year.
It is hard to tell when and how my interest in teacher education began as I believe it has always been there. I remember watching my teachers very carefully as a student – not only to learn the knowledge but also their teaching styles. As an undergraduate at Saigon University, modules in teaching methodology and practice were always my favorite.
This issue is about professional development – other than take courses and attend webinars, what do you do for professional development?
My most favorite professional development activities would be reading journal articles and talking with colleagues. While reading has become a daily routine of mine as a researcher, discussing teaching problems with fellow teachers has proved useful to me. I would not talk much about reading professional pieces as everyone knows it has already been a standard and can be very effective. Teachers’ talks, however, has recently won my interest.
Besides the stories and experience, I have learned how to listen without responding. It seems ridiculous at first, but giving guiding and constructive questions rather than answers has helped both my colleagues and myself improve a lot. I have found that we can learn through talking and sharing and that listening to understand, not to respond, is a skill that needs to be learnt.
What are your goals as newsletter editor?
After a very interesting discussion with you, Khanh-Duc, I believe my one goal as an editor is relatively clear: to bring on underrepresented voices in teacher education. In particular, I would like to have pre-service and early career teachers share their stories of learning, failing, transforming and becoming. I believe that support and attention for those teachers are limited despite the fact that they are in the most critical stage of their career. Besides, I would also plan to include independent /unaffiliated teachers, their learning experience and professional communities in future issues. These practitioners are a growing teaching force in many contexts in the world, yet they have mostly been making the journey by themselves.
What would you say to someone who was thinking about joining TESOL International Association?
TESOL International Association is a very inclusive learning community. ESOL practitioners regardless of experience and level of professionalism can find their place there. Therefore, I will just say “Go for it!”
What do you do for fun?
I am quite a keen badminton player who can spend more than twenty hours a week on this sport. I started this hobby during the pandemic and have grown addicted to it. Badminton has always been helpful in relieving my stress and keeping me fit. | 
