This case study explored 18 Taiwanese novice elementary school English teachers' practice of critical friendship models as an avenue for professional development. Based on the thematic analysis of the interviews, documents, and observation, the following major conclusions were drawn. Participants spent most of their time with critical friends in…

This survey research with follow-up interviews explored sixty-two Taiwanese novice elementary school English teachers' perceptions of critical friendship models as an avenue for professional development. The major conclusions were drawn. First, these participants had consistent and static perceptions of critical friends as 'sharing ideas and…

Unequal access to qualified teachers for children of different socioeconomic status--also known as inequitable teacher sorting--has been increasingly put forth as one potential factor contributing to the socioeconomic achievement gap. Despite this, few studies have investigated cross-national differences in teacher sorting, and none have examined…