EFL teachers self-initiated professional development: Perceptions and practices

Abstract

This study assessed perceptions and practices of secondary schools (Grade 9-12) EFL teachers' self-initiated professional development. A questionnaire of likert scale items and open-ended questions was used to gather data from thirty-two teachers. The teachers were asked to fill out the questionnaire at Bahir Dar University during their registration for pursuing their second degree in English education. The collected data were analyzed in the form of descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings revealed that despite insufficient practices, the teachers had clear consensus on the need for employing self-initiated professional development at their working environment. There seemed to have more awareness of self driven professionalism with a few practical experiences in their work places. Their school management problems, limited learning facilities and discouraging traditions of self improvement created pressure on teachers' implementation of the self initiated professional development.