This is a sample instructional design for my capstone thesis project that I completed at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. The design revolves around in-service training for Fulbright English Teaching Assistants in South Korea.

1. Sample In-Service Training Syllabus
Instructor
Drew Kunard
and guest teachers
Contact Information
drkunard93@gmail.com
Course Overview
This in-service teacher training plan combines practical
workshops with professional development to provide in-service
English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) with the necessary tools
and support needed to thrive in unique teaching contexts across
South Korea.
Synchronous Interactions
Two synchronous sessions will be facilitated online each month, with minimal time
commitment expected of participants before and after each meeting. Pre-session and post-
session tasks may involve interacting with one or more fellow ETAs. Group sessions will
alternate between informal discussion and relatively more formal professional development
workshops with guest speakers.
Each group session will be crafted around the common obstacles and challenges that
ETAs in South Korea often encounter and will provide clear, implementable strategies. All
sessions are optional, and participants will also have the option of opting for up to two
individual advising sessions with teacher mentors each month to address placement
specific topics.
Asynchronous Interaction
No more than four pre-session and post-session tasks will be encouraged of participants
per month. Task will often involve sharing resources and participating in online discussion.
Participants are strongly encouraged to complete tasks, especially those which help
establish a stronger community between them, mentor teachers, fellow professionals, and
their fellow cohort members.
Etiquette & Expectations
This course was designed with the primary goal of encouraging and aiding in-
service Fulbright ETAs through the means of establishing a healthy, supportive
community of practice. To these aims, this course involves a significant amount of
interaction between ETAs, teacher mentors, and a variety of guest speakers. Everyone is
expected to practice professional-level etiquette while engaging with one another as a
community. Since much of this training will be conducted virtually, everyone is
encouraged to reflect on this in infographic (Arizona State University) to proactively
prepare.
Content
All will be made accessible via Email, Google Drive, Slack, and KaokaoTalk, and other
modes as needed. Everyone is strongly encouraged to devote time for reflecting on the
resources and readings provided.
Supplemental materials will be added based on discussions, individual advising sessions,
and participants’ expressed needs.

2. Course Goals
This in-service training should assist ETAs with the following areas in relation to the
four domains (attitude, awareness, skills, and knowledge) from The Descriptive Model of
Teaching (Freeman, 1989):
- building meaningful communities of practice
- navigating intercultural communication
- strengthening cultural adjustment capabilities
- overcoming stress & isolation
- dealing with low motivation in the classroom
- building confidence in one’s teaching abilities
- utilizing teaching resources
- implementing classroom management strategies
- addressing diverse learner needs
- implementing gamification classroom activities
- navigating co-teaching dynamics
- and more areas as needs are expressed

3. Readings
The following readings were chosen from various sources based on their relevance to
addressing specific needs found in a preliminary needs analysis of in-service Fulbright
Korea ETAs. Considering ETAs high-level of time commitment with regards to teaching
duties, main takeaways have been highlighted within each reading to assist with
reflections.
Reading 1: Omar, C. M. Z. C. (2014). The Need for In-Service Training for Teachers and
It’s Effectiveness In School. International Journal for Innovation Education and
Research, 2(11), 1–9. DOI: 10.31686/ijier.vol2.iss11.261
Reading 2: England, L. (2018). Communities of Practice. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL
encyclopedia of English language teaching. New York: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers.
DOI: https://doi-org.ezproxy-miis.middlebury.edu/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0396
Reading 3: Kim, Yang Soo. (2008). Communication experiences of American expatriates
in South Korea: A study of cross-cultural adaptation. Human Communication. 11. 505-522.
Reading 4: Carless, David. (2006). Good practices in team teaching in Japan, South Korea
and Hong Kong. System. 34. 341-351. 10.1016/j.system.2006.02.001.
Reading 5: Fairbanks, C., Hinman, T. (2018). Teacher and Institutional Beliefs, Vision,
Belonging, and Identity. In J. I. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL encyclopedia of English
language teaching. New York: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. DOI: https://doi-org.ezproxy-
miis.middlebury.edu/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0141
Reading 6: Core Culture Values and Culture Mapping: Regents of the University of
Minnesota. From the Maximizing Study Abroad series published by the Center for
Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. See: carla.umn.edu/maxsa/guides. “Core
cultural values and culture mapping” can be found on pp. 221–226 in Maximizing study
abroad: An instructional guide to strategies for language and culture learning and use
(2009) by Kappler Mikk, B., Cohen, A.D. & Paige, R.M. (with Chi, J., Lassegard, J.,
Maegher, M. & Weaver, S.), and pp. 63–68 in Maximizing study abroad: A students’ guide
to strategies for language and culture learning and use (2nd ed.) (2006) by Paige R.M.,
Cohen, A.D., Kappler, B., Chi, J. and Lassegard, J.
Reading 7: Park, GP., Lee, HW. The characteristics of effective English teachers as
perceived by high school teachers and students in Korea. Asia Pacific Educ. Rev. 7, 236–
248 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03031547
Reading 8: Laura Baecher, Marcus Artigliere, David K. Patterson &
Adrian Spatzer (2012). Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners as
“Variations on a Theme”, Middle School Journal, 43:3, 14-21, DOI:
10.1080/00940771.2012.11461807

4. Additional Resources
The following resources were selected based on their relevance to either the teaching
context or the overarching challenges that ETAs in Fulbright Korea may encounter.
Fulbright Korea Infusion (Publication)
o A Fulbright Korea alumni run publication
Fulbridge (Networking Site)
o A networking site for connecting with current and past Fulbright ETAs
Dare to Lead with Brené Brown (Podcast)
o A thought-provoking podcast on different approaches to leadership
Talk To Me In Korean (Podcast)
o A self-study tool for language learning
Cultural Atlas: South Korean Culture (Website)
o A resource for better understanding aspects of Korean culture