ABSTRACT
Given contemporary social, technological and economic pressures it is not surprising that most countries want to improve the quality of teaching and learning in their education systems. Teachers would appear to have a crucial role. But what are the means to assist teachers to maximise their effectiveness? In some countries appraisal has been suggested as one potentially important tool. What does appraisal involve, how is it organised, and what is its relationship to the professional development of teachers? A further question is what kind of professional development improves the quality of children’s learning?
