The term Professional Development (PD) was first introduced to English teachers in China in the Revised Curriculum Standards (RCS). For PD to be effective, the teachers and policymakers involved in its implementation need to have a common understanding of its scope and purposes, but little is known about how English teachers in China understand the notion of PD. This study examined teachers' understandings of the elements of PD identified in the RCS using a questionnaire with 227 teachers and interviews with 18 teachers. This paper argues that the aim of the RCS is to bring about a very significant reform of teachers' roles in their own development, and the enactment of the curriculum; however, the teachers do not understand PD in ways that confer ownership or empower them to enact curriculum changes. This paper highlights that, from an international perspective, the development of PD for teachers must recognize teachers' existing experience of the curriculum, experience of PD and the ways they understand the goals of PD, and must promote a shared understanding of policy intentions in relation to PD.
