The Challenges Faced by English Teachers in Iranian Schools and Their Training

Subject Areas : All areas of language and translation

Farhad Kariminasab ¹ , Shaban Najafi Karimi ² , Amir Marzban ³

1 - Department of English, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran
2 - Department of English, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran
3 - Department of English, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran

Received: 2022-11-08 Accepted : 2022-12-11 Published : 2023-04-01

Keywords: challenges, English Teachers, Trainings,

Abstract :

The major objectives of this research were to develop an understanding of the challenges faced by English teachers in Iranian schools and their training. The research was carried out on a sample of 728 English teachers from junior and senior high school in 32 provinces of Iran. Self-reporting questionnaires were conducted as a survey method. The results of this study indicate that the biggest challenges faced by English teachers seems to be teaching mixed level classes, managing behavior discipline, choosing appropriate activities and materials, and relating to students. Around one-thirds of teachers had no pre-service training in teaching English prior to teach students; the problem is compounded by lack of support and in-service training, three-fourths of teachers didn’t have any in-service training. Approximately half of those surveyed did not have probationary periods; in addition, four-fifth of them had no support during their first of teaching. Overall, Many teachers felt not well prepared for teaching English. Overall, the evidences from this study recommend that current teachers’ training programs should be modified and outlines some recommendation to overcome these challenges.

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Biodata
Farhad Kariminasab is a Ph.D. student of TEFL at Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr Branch. His passion for teaching continues in those years he has taught at Islamic Azad Uni-versity, Farhangian University, and Ministry of Education of Iran. His main areas of interest in-clude teacher education and teaching methods.
Email: [e-mail]
Shaban Najafi Karimi is an assistant professor of TEFL at Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr Branch. His research interests include language skills, discourse analysis, materials development, and teacher education. He has been teaching English at Iranian universities for 24 years and has published in both Iranian and International journals.
Email: [e-mail]