INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CHANGES IN EDUCATION
Research Article
Aug 07, 2026 131 52

“It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education

Alison Glover 1 * ,
Catharine Bleasdale 1,
Grace Clifton 1,
Angela Thomas 1
1 School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport, The Open University, UK* Corresponding Author
International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), 2026, 205-213, https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
Online publication date: Dec 16, 2024
Publication date: Aug 07, 2026
Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Professional conversations are significant in teacher education, yet policy-makers and practitioners differ in their understanding of what these involve. The purpose of this study was to identify and understand the critical elements of successful professional conversations, the elements that effectively contribute to critical reflection and evaluation of teaching practice. Insight is provided by 10 participants who took part in a discussion group, in-depth interviews, and written reflections. All participants are involved in professional conversations for a teacher education program in Wales, in their capacity as either a student teacher, practice tutor, or mentor. Findings highlight that some of the significant elements needed for an effective professional conversation include adequate preparation time for the conversation itself, knowledge of program requirements, and professional teaching standards, along with knowledge about the student teacher’s school context – these can all be described as “hard” inputs, whereas the “soft” inputs include effective listening and questioning skills and being able to offer a challenge to the student teacher. Similarly, outputs of professional conversations can also be recognized as “hard”: effective reflections contributing to progress against the professional teaching standards, and “soft”: collaborative working relationships that are honest and positive with two-way learning for the mentor and the student. It is concluded that the softer skills of questioning and understanding the student teacher’s expectations must be developed effectively for professional conversations in teacher education to have a positive impact on all those involved.

KEYWORDS

mentoring questioning reflection soft skills teacher education

CITATION (APA)

Glover, A., Bleasdale, C., Clifton, G., & Thomas, A. (2026). “It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
Harvard
Glover, A., Bleasdale, C., Clifton, G., and Thomas, A. (2026). “It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education. International Journal of Changes in Education, 3(2), pp. 205-213. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
Vancouver
Glover A, Bleasdale C, Clifton G, Thomas A. “It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(2):205-13. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
AMA
Glover A, Bleasdale C, Clifton G, Thomas A. “It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education. International Journal of Changes in Education. 2026;3(2), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
Chicago
Glover, Alison, Catharine Bleasdale, Grace Clifton, and Angela Thomas. "“It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education". International Journal of Changes in Education 2026 3 no. 2 (2026): 205-213. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876
MLA
Glover, Alison et al. "“It’s Good to Talk”: Exploring Effective Professional Conversations in Teacher Education". International Journal of Changes in Education, vol. 3, no. 2, 2026, pp. 205-213. https://doi.org/10.47852/bonviewIJCE52023876

REFERENCES

  1. Nsibande, R. (2007). Using professional dialogue to facilitate meaningful reflection for higher education practitioners. In Proceedings of the 30th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference, 8–11.
  2. Lee, C., Addison-Pettit, P., & Tyler, D. (2021). PGCE practice tutors – Preconceptions, perceptions and actuality. UK: Praxis Report.
  3. Glover, A., Jones, M., Thomas, A., & Worrall, L. (2024). Finding the joy: Effective mentoring in teacher education. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 32(4), 377–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2024.2360605
  4. Welsh Government. (2019). Investing in excellence: Our national workforce development plan 2019–21. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2019-11/investing-in-excellence-our-national-workforce-deve lopment-plan-2019-21.pdf
  5. Welsh Government. (2023). Our national mission: High standards and aspirations for all. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.wales/our-national-mission-high-standards-and-aspirations-all-html
  6. Furlong, J. (2020). Re-forming initial teacher education in wales: A personal review of the literature. Wales Journal of Education, 22(1), 38–59. https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.22.1.3-ene
  7. Kools, M., & Stoll, L. (2016). What makes a school a learning organisation? France: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5jlwm62b3bvh-en
  8. Glover, A., & Hutchinson, S. (2023). Delivering education reform in Wales: A flexible route into teaching. Education Inquiry, 14(4), 442–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/20004508.2022.2051822
  9. Glover, A., & Stewart, S. (2024). Using a blended distance pedagogy in teacher education to address challenges in teacher recruitment. Teaching Education, 35(1), 104–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2023.2223526
  10. Kurejsepi, E., & Bajrami, V. (2024). Evaluation and self-evaluation of teachers during the educational process. Human Research in Rehabilitation, 14(1), 122–129. https://doi.org/10.21554/hrr.042412
  11. Zuengler, J., & Miller, E. R. (2006). Cognitive and sociocultural perspectives: Two parallel SLA worlds? TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 35–58. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40264510
  12. Vygotsky, L. S. (2011). The dynamics of the schoolchild’s mental development in relation to teaching and learning. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 10(2), 198–211. https://doi.org/10.1891/1945-8959.10.2.198
  13. Hall, J. K. (2013). Teaching and researching: Language and culture. UK: Routledge.
  14. Connolly, S., Bates, G., & Shea, J. (2020). “First meetings”: Constructive first encounters between pre-service teachers and their mentors. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 9(4), 411–426. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-10-2019-0096
  15. Edwards-Groves, C., & Hardy, I. (2013). “Well, that was an intellectual dialogue!”: How a whole-school focus on improvement shifts the substantive nature of classroom talk. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, 12(2), 116–136.
  16. Hobson, A. J., & Malderez, A. (2013). Judgementoring and other threats to realizing the potential of school-based mentoring in teacher education. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 2(2), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-03-2013-0019
  17. Lofthouse, R. M. (2018). Re-imagining mentoring as a dynamic hub in the transformation of initial teacher education: The role of mentors and teacher educators. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 7(3), 248–260. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2017-0033
  18. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511815355
  19. Aderibigbe, S., Gray, D. S., & Colucci-Gray, L. (2018). Understanding the nature of mentoring experiences between teachers and student teachers. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 7(1), 54–71. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2017-0028
  20. OECD. (2021). Teachers’ professional learning study: Diagnostic report for Wales. OECD Education Policy Perspectives, No. 33. France: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/caf912c7-en
  21. Jones, L., Tones, S., & Foulkes, G. (2019). Exploring learning conversations between mentors and associate teachers in initial teacher education. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 8(2), 120–133. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-08-2018-0050
  22. Shanks, R. (2023). Informal coaching and mentoring and an “informal turn” in teacher professional learning. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 12(4), 440–452. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-10-2022-0091
  23. Chien, C. W., & Teo, T. (2022). Structuring professional dialogue through protocols: A study among elementary English teachers in Taiwan. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 21(3), 357–373. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-021-09309-6
  24. Forster, C., Wire, T., Eperjesi, R., Hollier, R., Howell, E., & Penny, J. (2022). Exploring the impact of expert guidance from school-based mentors on student teachers’ professional learning. Practice, 4(1), 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/25783858.2021.1997338
  25. Mutluoğlu, A. K., & Balaman, U. (2023). The use of video enhanced observation in video-mediated post-observation conversations on pre-service EFL teachers’ online practicum teaching. System, 118, 103151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103151
  26. Timperley, H. (2023). Leading professional conversations: Adaptive expertise for schools. Australia: ACER Press.
  27. Atkins, S. (2019). Trust-based mentoring towards a new knowledge state as a change cycle: Exploring key interpersonal interactions. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching & Mentoring, 17(2), 36–51. https://doi.org/10.24384/g11c-ng05
  28. Waters, M. (2020). Learning to be a teacher for Wales: The induction of teachers into the profession. Retrieved from: https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2020-11/learning-to-be-teacher-wales-induction-teachers-into-profession.pdf
  29. Bjuland, R., & Helgevold, N. (2018). Dialogic processes that enable student teachers’ learning about pupil learning in mentoring conversations in a lesson study field practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 70, 246–254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.11.026
  30. Alexander, R. (2008). Talking, teaching, learning. In R. Alexander (Ed.), Essays on pedagogy (pp. 92–120). Routledge.
  31. McNeil, L. (2012). Using talk to scaffold referential questions for English language learners. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(3), 396–404. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2011.11.005
  32. Maready, B., Cheng, Q., & Bunch, D. (2021). Exploring mentoring practices contributing to new teacher retention: An analysis of the beginning teacher longitudinal study. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 19(2), 88–99. https://doi.org/10.24384/rgm9-sa56
  33. Parker, A. K., Zenkov, K., & Glaser, H. (2021). Preparing school-based teacher educators: Mentor teachers’ perceptions of mentoring and mentor training. Peabody Journal of Education, 96(1), 65–75. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2021.1877027
  34. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative & mixed methods approaches. USA: SAGE.
  35. Hatch, J. A. (2023). Doing qualitative research in education settings. USA: State University of New York Press.
  36. Taherdoost, H. (2022). What are different research approaches? Comprehensive review of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method research, their applications, types, and limitations. Journal of Management Science & Engineering Research, 5(1), 53–63. https://doi.org/10.30564/jmser.v5i1.4538
  37. Nassaji, H. (2020). Good qualitative research. Language Teaching Research, 24(4), 427–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820941288
  38. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. USA: SAGE Publications Inc.
  39. Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., McNaughton Nicolls, C., & Ormston, R. (2014). Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers. UK: SAGE Publishers Ltd.
  40. Jackson, K., & Bazeley, P. (2019). Qualitative data analysis with NVivo. UK: SAGE Publications Ltd.
  41. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. UK: SAGE Publications Ltd.
  42. Kiger, M. E., & Varpio, L. (2020). Thematic analysis of qualitative data: AMEE Guide No. 131. Medical Teacher, 42(8), 846–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2020.1755030
  43. Thomas, A., Bleasdale, C., Clifton, G., & Glover, A. (2024). Professional conversations: Improving practice through collaborative reflection. UK: The Open University. https://oro.open.ac.uk/99665/
  44. Welsh Government. (2019). Professional standards for teaching and leadership. Retrieved from: https://hwb.gov.wales/api/storage/19bc948b-8a3f-41e0-944a-7bf2cadf7d18/professional-standards-for-teaching-and-leadership-interactive-pdf-for-pc.pdf

LICENSE

Creative Commons License
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.