Understanding Professional Challenges Faced by Iranian Teachers of English

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to understand professional challenges faced by Iranian high school teachers of English through exploring their viewpoints. To this end, it benefits from both qualitative and quantitative modes of inquiry. First, grounded theory method was used to conduct some interviews with 20 EFL teachers and members of educational groups in the Education Organization, Shiraz, Iran. After coding the obtained data, a number of concepts and categories were identified and a model was developed. Next, a questionnaire was designed out of the findings of grounded theory procedures. It was filled out by 130 EFL teachers and the collected data was subjected to both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results confirmed the existence of educational, social, economic and temporal challenges in the profession. They further revealed that variables of gender, years of experience and educational districts had no significant effects on teachers' viewpoints. Generally, the current EFL situation has led to teacher burnout. In order to improve the situation, some modifications seem necessary. With regard to this, a number of solutions have been offered at the end of this study.

Teachers' Perspectives of Difficulties Face Teaching English Language as a Foreign Language at the Intermediate Schools

“…As for the second question, which seeks to the effect of teachers' gender on their perspective toward teaching difficulties. The finding is in line with studies' results of (Razmjoo & Mavaddat, 2016;Mahmoud, 2004) disclosed that both male and female teachers experience approximately the same level of difficulties in teaching English language, which means there is no statistically significant difference between male and female teachers' perspectives toward teaching English difficulties.…”

“…Thus, the main objective of the current research is to determine the most influential difficulties that face Iraqi-English teachers as they have experienced through the teaching process. Two questions were raised; the finding of the first question came to be congruent with the findings of studies conducted by (Mahmoud, 2004;Evue, 2013, Herzallah, 2011Razmjoo & Mavaddat, 2016) revealed that the scarcity of materials and facilities constitute the highest influential domain compared to the other domains that come in turn. According to these studies, which were conducted in different contexts of the Middle East, it is clear that teaching materials form a significant obstacle for English teachers not only in Iraq but also in many other places.…”

Novice Teachers’ Professional Identity Reconstruction

“…It is considered the most common difficulty that causes students' apathy and discouragement in EFL classrooms. Razmjoo and Mavaddat (2016) conducted a study intending to examine the viewpoints on professional challenges faced by English high school teachers in Iran. The results proved the presence of difficulties in terms of education, society, economy, and time.…”

EFL Learners’ Misconceptions or Erroneous Beliefs about Language Learning: An ESP Context

“…Therefore, attributing the existing problems to an individual factor which may play a role in students' learning is unwise. No one is to blame now because everyone, from students and their parents to the high officials in the country, has somehow a hand in creating the situation (Razmjoo & Mavaddat, 2016).…”