BACKGROUND 
  • Professional development is a central 
   component in every modern proposal for 
   improving education.
  • Professional development activities are 
   systematic efforts to bring about change in the 
   classroom practices of teachers, their beliefs, 
   attitudes and in the learning outcomes of 
   students. 
  • Professional development can be divided into 
   two categories; traditional and job-embedded 
   (Carey, 2004). 
          BACKGROUND
   • Barnard (2004) believes that professional 
   development should be an ongoing, in-depth and 
   intensive programme aimed at improving teacher 
   competencies beginning during a teacher’s first 
   year of employment to retirement.
   • According to Baafi (2009) no pre-service teacher 
   preparation programme could fully equip 
   teachers with all the competencies required to 
   meet challenges on the job.
   • Regular professional development opportunities 
   are key towards making teachers effective.
          BACKGROUND
   • Studies have also shown differences emerging 
   between teachers with and without experience in 
   teaching deaf students (Marschark et al, 2011). 
   • It is important that inexperienced teachers of 
   deaf students receive professional development 
   within the profession in order to be effective as 
   teachers
       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
   • The Presidential Committee on the Review of 
    Education in Ghana stated the objective of 
    teacher education in Ghana as the training and 
    development of the right type of teacher who is 
    competent, committed and dedicated. 
       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
   • Such a teacher should be capable of
    • Applying, extending and synthesising various forms of 
     knowledge;
    • Developing attitudes, values and dispositions that create 
     a conducive environment for quality teaching and 
     learning in schools;
    • Facilitating learning and motivating individual learners to 
     fully realise their potential and adequately preparing the 
     learner to participate fully in the national development 
     effort (Republic of Ghana, 2002).