PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK: SUPPORTING AND RETAINING AN ADJUNCT ESL WORKFORCE.

CAREER development; ADJUNCT faculty; ENGLISH as a foreign language; LABOR supply

Research shows that engaged and continuously developing teachers are more effective in the classroom. However, with a significant proportion of adult English as a second language (ESL) instructional staff consisting of adjunct faculty, it is crucial to address issues such as high turnover rates, feelings of isolation and marginalization, limited availability for PD due to transient schedules and multiple jobs, and insufficient funding for robust offerings. This article explores several best practices for overcoming those challenges--mini-conferences, professional development (PD) swaps, study groups, individualized faculty development plans, and leveraging technology for flexible and asynchronous options--and encourages other programs to adopt such PD initiatives to support and empower adjunct faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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