Introduction

Having delivered 150-200 professional development workshops a year for the past ten years, I’ve been afforded a unique window into the wonderfully varied and occasionally hilarious ecosystem of Modern Foreign Language (MFL) teachers. From the most ardent pedagogical missionaries to the CPD escape artists seeking only coffee and a break from cover duty, the MFL CPD room is a rich field of sociological study.

What follows is a semi-serious taxonomy — lovingly compiled, half-anthropological, half-therapeutic — of the MFL professionals you’re likely to encounter at your next training session. If you don’t see yourself in one of these types, look again… or ask your colleagues. They’ll know.

For those of you with a more serious disposition, I’ve also included a research-informed taxonomy that I’ve consistently found useful as a professional development provider — both in preparing for and delivering my workshops and keynotes.

A semi-serious Taxonomy

1. The Enthusiast

AKA: The Smiler, The “This Is Gold!” Type

• Behaviour: Front-row sitter, nods frequently, already tweeting out takeaways.
• Quote: “This is exactly what I needed!”
• Function: Injects energy and optimism into the room.

2. The Skeptical Veteran

AKA: The “Seen It All Before” Guardian

• Behaviour: Arms folded, occasional smirk, references ‘old-school’ methods with fondness.
• Quote: “We tried this in 2007. Didn’t work.”
• Function: Keeps the hype in check and brings a long-view perspective.

3. The CPD Collector

AKA: The training addict

• Behaviour: Mentions prior workshops with name-drops, quotes research unprompted.
• Quote: “At the workshop in Leeds last term, we discussed something similar.”
• Function: Brings depth and connects dots across sessions.

4. The Workload Drowner

AKA: The Overwhelmed One

• Behaviour: Slightly panicked expression, visibly thinking about their to-do list.
• Quote: “I like this, but when would I even have time to laminate it?”
• Function: Represents the reality of teacher burnout. Deserves biscuits.

5. The Evangelist

AKA: The CPD apostle

• Behaviour: Hails the CPD as a game changer. Already rewriting the schemes of learning in their heads.
• Quote: “This will change everything!”
• Function: The ultimate CPD cheerleader.

6. The Hostage

AKA: The Unwilling Participant

• Behaviour: Didn’t choose to attend. Checks phone constantly. Doesn’t speak.
• Quote: “I was told to come.”
• Function: Seat-filler. Sometimes surprisingly moved by Slide 46.

7. The Absorber

AKA: The Sponge, The Silent Strategist

• Behaviour: Quiet, focused, takes notes diligently. Rarely speaks, but often acts.
• Quote: “I just need to sit with this and process it a bit.”
• Function: CPD gold. Will quietly implement more than anyone.

8. The Contrarian

AKA: Devil’s Advocate, The Challenger

• Behaviour: Constantly questions assumptions. Engages in intense debate.
• Quote: “But where’s the empirical evidence that this actually works?”
• Function: Raises rigour. Also blood pressure.

9. The SLT Tourist

AKA: The Suit, The Surveillance Drone

• Behaviour: Makes strategic eye contact. Says very little. Evaluates silently.
• Quote: “Interesting… carry on.”
• Function: Keeps everyone a bit on edge. Might fund something.

10. The CPD Burnout

AKA: The Numb Veteran.

• Behaviour: Emotionally done. Can’t muster enthusiasm. Responds only to caffeine.
• Quote: “Another day, another acronym.”
• Function: A warning sign. Deserves both empathy and a nap.

Rare but Remarkable Species

The Pedagogical Magpie

• Behaviour: Hoards ideas, shiny strategies, and buzzwords like treasure.
• Quote: “Wait! I can blend retrieval with escape room mechanics!”
• Function: Creates Frankenstein-like lessons — occasionally brilliant.

The Innovator-in-Exile

• Behaviour: Genius ideas unrecognised by SLT. Whispers “just between us” before showing their best work.
• Quote: “We’re not officially allowed to do this… but look what happened!”
• Function: Underground educational revolutionary.

The Inner Rebel

• Behaviour: Smiles sweetly during plenaries but mutters anarchic thoughts under breath.
• Quote: “Let’s just say I don’t always follow the scheme.”
• Function: Keeps the spirit of autonomy alive.

The Transformer

• Behaviour: Arrives sceptical. Leaves radiant. Plans a revolution over lunch.
• Quote: “I’ve got a completely new vision now.”
• Function: The true CPD butterfly. Proof metamorphosis is possible.

Summary Table

Type	Nickname	Main Behaviour	Core Function
Enthusiast	The Smiler	Engaged, excited	Boosts atmosphere
Skeptical Veteran	Seen-It-All Guardian	Cautious, experienced	Offers historical context
CPD Collector	Workshop Nomad	Well-informed, hyperlinked mind	Connects disparate insights
Workload Drowner	The Overwhelmed One	Distracted, realistic	Brings urgency and honesty
Evangelist	CPD Apostle	Zealous, contagious optimism	Promotes rapid adoption
Hostage	The Unwilling One	Passive, uninterested	Adds statistical weight
Absorber	Silent Strategist	Thoughtful, measured	Quiet implementation star
Contrarian	Devil’s Advocate	Critical, data-driven	Provokes higher standards
SLT Tourist	The Suit	Polished, formal	Adds institutional accountability
CPD Burnout	The Shell	Weary, glazed	Signals system strain
Pedagogical Magpie	The Idea Collector	Method-blender, playful	Sparks creative chaos
Innovator-in-Exile	The Maverick	Rules-optional genius	Quietly disrupts the system
Inner Rebel	The Sweet Subversive	Smiling insurgent	Keeps it real
Transformer	The Late Bloomer	Awakens mid-session	Delivers CPD payoff

A research-informed taxonomy

Here is a more serious taxonomy, based on research. As you will notice, there are quite a few overlaps with the one I have provided above.

Profile	Core Characteristics	Research Roots	Implications for CPD
The Pragmatic Adapter	Interested in usable, classroom-ready strategies; ignores the theory.	Implementation science; Timperley (2011)	Needs practical modelling and follow-up support.
The Reflective Practitioner	Enjoys critical engagement; seeks to link CPD to beliefs and context.	Schön (1983); Boud & Walker (1990)	Benefits from dialogic spaces and collaborative inquiry.
The Compliant Attender	Attends because it’s required; passive engagement.	Kennedy (2014) – transmissive vs transformative models	Risk of low impact unless agency is built in.
The Change Agent	Applies and advocates for new practices; influences others.	Desimone (2009); Fullan (2001)	Ideal for peer coaching and leadership development.
The Skeptical Consumer	Questions efficacy and credibility of approaches.	Kennedy (2005); Coldwell (2017)	Needs evidence, rationale, time to experiment.
The Overloaded Practitioner	Mentally engaged but emotionally depleted.	Burnout literature; Day & Gu (2007)	CPD must consider workload and wellbeing.
The Strategic Collector	Gathers ideas for future use; delays application.	Situated learning; Eraut (2004)	Needs nudges, mentoring, or low-stakes trials.
The Novice Explorer	New to teaching; eager but overwhelmed.	Clarke & Hollingsworth (2002)	Needs scaffolding, mentoring, and simplified frameworks.
The In-School Influencer	High social capital; their CPD stance shapes others’.	Social learning theory; Bandura (1977)	Can amplify or undermine school-wide CPD impact.

Why These Taxonomies Matter

It’s easy to dismiss CPD humour as light relief — but understanding who’s in the room helps us design better, more inclusive, and more effective professional learning experiences. The first taxonomy isn’t just a tongue-in-cheek portrait of MFL teachers; it’s a mirror for schools and trainers alike.

Recognising these types allows:

• Facilitators to anticipate reactions, adapt tone, and avoid one-size-fits-all approaches.
• Colleagues to build empathy, recognising that scepticism or silence isn’t always resistance — it might be burnout, overwork, or deep reflection.
• Leaders to identify who might need more nurturing, who can be champions of change, and who could be gently nudged out of passive roles.

And for teachers? It’s an invitation to self-reflect. Are we always the same persona in every CPD? Or do we shift depending on context, energy, and topic? A strong CPD culture isn’t about converting everyone into an Evangelist — it’s about embracing the full cast, quirks and all, and ensuring each one leaves the room just a little more curious, hopeful, or empowered.

Conclusion

CPD isn’t just about content — it’s about community. These characters, in all their varied glory, are part of what makes MFL CPD vibrant, unpredictable, and oddly endearing. Whether you’re an Evangelist, an Escape Artist or somewhere in between, your presence shapes the room. And maybe, just maybe, you’re not just one type — but a bit of several, depending on the time of year, the topic, or how much coffee you’ve had.

So the next time you walk into a training room and scan the seating plan, look around: your tribe is there.

(Just don’t sit too close to the Contrarian. You’ve been warned.)