Proceedings of the 7th International Academic Conference on Education, Teaching and Learning
Year: 2024
DOI:
[PDF]
Contradictions and Actions in EFL Teacher’s Professional Development: An Ethnographic Study in Under-Resourced Contexts
Weihao Shi
ABSTRACT:
This study explores the professional development process of rural secondary school teachers, focusing on the contradictions experienced by the teachers and the actions they take to address them. Informed by a qualitative ethnographic study approach, this study collected data from 2 teachers across a semester of an English-asa-foreign language course at a secondary school in China. The data included classroom observation, teacher’s reflections over the courses and interviews, coupled with field notes. Using activity theory as a framework, the study found that both teachers face four levels of contradiction in their professional development process. These contradictions exist within the internal elements of the activity system, between the new and old elements, in the contradiction between the new and old forms of activities, and between the central activity and adjacent activities. The study emphasizes that contradictions are the driving force for promoting teacher professional development, and taking action is fundamental for achieving this. The study has practical significance in understanding the development process of English teachers in rural areas and proposing measures for improving the quality of basic English education in rural areas, ultimately aiming to narrow the gap between urban and rural basic English education and promote rural revitalization.
keywords: contradictions, actions, professional development, rural areas