An evaluation of an EFL mentoring programme

This research is an evaluation of the Mentoring Programme run by an EFL School in the Middle East for its newly-qualified, non-native, local teachers, who arrived in groups of seven to eleven at six-monthly intervals between December 1998 and June 2001. Principles for mentor programme planning and organisation, management, support, mentor selection and mentor quality, mentor training, outcomes and 'goodness of fit' to the context were set up to guide the evaluation within an action research framework. These principles were devised during an evaluation of the first four Mentor Programmes (Programmes 1 to 4). Programme 5 was then evaluated in depth using the principles. Programme 5 was treated as a single case study and an innovation because it was significantly different from the first four programmes in terms of the amount of planning and support provided, and the accent on teacher training in addition to induction. Information was collected through questionnaires, interviews, documents and a research diary. This information was both quantitative and qualitative in keeping with both the action research framework and the pragmatic approach towards evaluation adopted. It was found that although Programme 5 had more support, and more time was spent planning and organizing Programme 5 than Programmes 1 to 4, the quality and quantity of learning experiences provided for the mentees was very variable. Reasons for this are suggested, and issues for the School to consider when planning Programme 6 are discussed. Issues relevant to mentoring practice and theory, innovation practice and theory, and the nature of action research are also discussed. The usefulness of principles in guiding mentor programme planning, management and evaluation is assessed.