Situational Leadership and Situational Supervision: Implications for Language Teacher Supervisors

Situational leadership model, originally designed and developed in management, has been successfully adapted and implemented in clinical supervision by Bedford and Gehlert (2013) as situational supervision model. The model revolves around four major supervisory styles aligned with the supervisees’ four major readiness levels. The supervisor is supposed to change his or her supervisory style based on his or her perception of the supervisees’ readiness level. Misjudging or misdiagnosing the supervisees’ readiness level can lead to anxiety, frustration, and even anger. The present paper attempted to discuss the implications of Bedford and Gehlert’s situational supervision model for language teacher supervisors who also need to move back and forth from one supervisory style to another to be able to bring about positive learning and change.