Progress in education depends very much on keeping up with the various trends that emerge around the world. In-service teacher training (INSET) is a formal means through which teachers are constantly updated with the new findings in the field. There are also self-directed development activities that complement formal training. The need for this approach is a must when INSET is not as effective as it should be and this is the case in the UAE. It is essential for teachers in the UAE to take up their professional accountability in the absence of an efficient teacher training system. This study investigates the effectiveness of the current INSET provision and the possibility of introducing self-directed (school-based) teacher development activities to teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL teachers). This was done with regard to educationists' perceptions: EFL teachers, school principals, supervisors and other administrators. A review of the related literature was carried out and the main development activities were outlined. Two research instruments were used to collect the data: a questionnaire for teachers and interviews with administrators. There was a total of 172 respondents. The main findings are categorised and discussed under two major headings. The first one is "the structure of current in-service training". This includes frequency, length of courses, optional training available for EFL teachers and attitudes of teachers towards training courses. The second heading is "self-development activities". This includes journal writing, self-appraisal, peer-observation, reading, research and action research. The findings of this study reveal that INSET in the UAE is unsystematic and EFL teachers practice self-directed activities on a limited basis. It was found that it is possible for EFL teachers to practice more self-directed development activities on the condition that the workload is reduced and that development time is planned and included within the working hours. Finally, some recommendations are stated regarding the improvement of INSET and how to incorporate development activities within the school system. The main points raised are specifying training needs depending on surveying the EFL teachers themselves by the use of questionnaires. A follow-up system for training outcomes is recommended. Incentives are considered too. The most essential starting point to is to make the teachers informed of the suggested development activities and awareness raising is the second step. The following are appended: (1) A Questionnaire; (2) Interview Questions; and (3) Transcriptions of Interviews. (Contains 72 tables and 1 figure.) [Dissertation, University of Bath.]