Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION (IJCI), cilt.15, sa.1, ss.446-466, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Novice English teachers’ (NETs) status is particularized as a
distinctive phase in which they often cope with various problems while learning
to teach effectively. NETs’ professional development (PD) demands much attention,
yet there is a paucity of research documenting their PD in the ordinary course
of their professional lives. This case study focused on four NETs’ PD in the
primary-school context in Turkey and investigated their perceptions of PD, what
strategies they used, and the role of the school context in their PD. Findings showed
that they perceived PD as an ongoing process inherent in their professional
lives and in which they improved their knowledge and skills for better
teaching. In addition, findings revealed that the NETs’ PD relied on self-directed
learning that mainly took place in their workplaces, and they followed certain strategies
for PD. Lastly, findings indicated school context as a critical phenomenon facilitating
and impeding the NET’s PD. Accordingly, the norm of English-only, formal meetings
and orientation programs appeared as facilitating factors, whereas the lack of
proper induction programs, de-contextualized training seminars, and the NETs’
neglected status emerged as hindering factors. In light of these findings,
several implications for PD and further research are suggested.