The relationship between Iranian English language teachers’ professional identity and teacher cognition in their professional development
Subject Areas : Applied LinguisticsNajme Bagheri 1 , Mohammad Reza Esfandiari 2 , Forough Rahimi 3
1 - PhD candidate in TEFL,Department of English language, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch
2 - Department of Foreign Languages, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
3 - Department of English Language, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Keywords: Teacher cognition, teacher professional identity, teacher professional development,
Abstract :
This study, delving into the relationship between Iranian English language teachers' professional identity and their cognition during professional development, employed a qualitative data collection approach. Comprising 10 Iranian EFL teachers from various institutes and schools, the study included 10 English language teachers, evenly divided between 5 females and 5 males above the age of 24. Ten participants, split equally between genders, were interviewed for the research. Analyzed using thematic analysis and the Nvivo program, the interview data explored the relationship between three key variables: teacher professional identity, teacher cognition, and teacher professional development. This analysis revealed a significant relationship between teacher cognition, professional identity, and professional development, highlighting their interconnectedness and emphasizing the inherent essence of teaching. To improve their overall experience and effectiveness in the field, teachers should actively seek to enhance their educational professionalization. Professional development holds particular significance as it contributes to teachers' growth, enhancing their effectiveness in their roles. By revealing the factors most influencing teachers, this study may provide valuable insights to the government and administrators, urging them to implement changes. To stay updated with recent teaching trends, teachers need to actively participate in diverse professional development activities.
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