Probing Language Teacher Accountability in Utilizing Self-developed Language Teaching Resources

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Marjan  Vosoughi ¹ (Young Researchers and Elite Club, Sabzevar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran)
Mahshid  Hosseini ² (English Department, Sabzevar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran)
Maryam  Parsaian ³ (English Department, Sabzevar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran)

Received: 2017-03-30 Accepted : 2017-09-06 Published : 2018-03-01

Keywords: Self-developed resources, Teacher autonomy, Teacher agency, accountability,

Abstract :

This study was aimed at recognizing constraints on the way of some Iranian language teachers' utilization of self-developed, localized, English language teaching resources. To this aim, three sets of teacher variables on pedagogical and personal accounts were examined including Language teachers' experience (novice/experienced), their educational level (BA/MA/PhD) and their gender. Data were collected in two phases. In the first phase, through stratified sampling, some eighty-three volunteering, English language teachers (Male and Female), who were indulged in the Iranian Ministry of Education (MoE), university settings (public and private) and language institutes were randomly selected. Teachers’ responses to a validated researcher-made questionnaire on language teacher curriculum autonomy revealed an overall significant Multiple R with F (3, 80) =.88, (0.04) but each individual above-cited predictors could not significantly predict teacher curriculum autonomy score. In the second phase for triangulation aims, three above-cited teacher variables were mapped over the insights gained through written interview sessions with some fourteen English language teachers. Language teachers' self-reported 'challenges' and 'opportunities' for using self-developed language teaching resources for class use were content analyzed. It became evident that teaching experience was mystified in some respects in terms of its influence over interviewed teachers since diverse intentions on the part of the language teachers in this research might have deterred them not to use their full potential over using their own materials in class. Possible reasons for this situation have been fully discussed in the end.

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