Empowering English Language Teachers: Teacher Agency in Sustainable Professional Development in EFL Contexts
Keywords:
EFL Context, Professional Development, Teacher AgencyAbstract
This study explains sustained professional development (PD) and the teacher agency of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. From a sociocultural perspective, teacher agency is understood as a dynamic, context-dependent skill that enables educators to actively shape their professional development paths, overcome obstacles, and make informed decisions. This study employed a qualitative method and case study research design. Data collection techniques used semi-structured interviews, reflective diaries, and document analysis. It involved five EFL teachers in different senior high schools in Semarang Regency. Thematic analysis was conducted to examine how teachers participate in professional development programs. The results indicate that reflective practice, collaborative learning, and adaptive pedagogical decision-making, all of which support long-term and significant professional development, are ways that teacher agency is expressed. However, the exercise of agency is often mediated and occasionally hampered by institutional constraints, including top-down regulations and a lack of support. The study emphasizes the importance of providing context-responsive, encouraging professional development environments that enable educators to effect change actively. In addition to offering useful implications for teacher educators and policymakers in EFL contexts, this research advances our understanding of sustained professional development by emphasizing teachers' voices and experiences.
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