Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents

The professional identity of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in formal education has been widely studied, but research in informal education remains limited. This study explores the context of critical incidents (CIs) identified by informal language institutions (ILIs) EFL teachers and...

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Main Authors: Rachelina Larasati, Concilianus Laos Mbato
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Palangka Raya 2025-03-01
Series:Journal on English as a Foreign Language
Subjects:
Online Access:https://e-journal.iain-palangkaraya.ac.id/index.php/jefl/article/view/9070
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author Rachelina Larasati
Concilianus Laos Mbato
author_facet Rachelina Larasati
Concilianus Laos Mbato
author_sort Rachelina Larasati
collection DOAJ
description The professional identity of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in formal education has been widely studied, but research in informal education remains limited. This study explores the context of critical incidents (CIs) identified by informal language institutions (ILIs) EFL teachers and how EFL teachers in ILIs negotiate and construct their professional identities using the critical incident technique (CIT). Ten EFL teachers from an informal English course in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, participated through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Data analysis identified key themes in CIs affecting teachers' professional identity. Results show that within informal language institution, CIs for teachers occurred in the context of the teacher's professional development, students, and direct work environment. The positive CIs, such as student progression and collaborative support, significantly boosted teachers' confidence and teaching effectiveness, whereas negative CIs, such as absenteeism and perceived inequities, posed challenges to their professional growth. Despite its limitations, including small sample size and reliance on self-reported data, the study provides valuable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of teaching in informal educational settings, offering directions for future research and practical implications for teacher development programs.
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spelling doaj-art-c657b63f050247c7ad104b24ae02fee52025-08-20T01:48:37ZengInstitut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Palangka RayaJournal on English as a Foreign Language2088-16572502-66152025-03-0115116018910.23971/jefl.v15i1.90707308Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidentsRachelina Larasati0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1230-3514Concilianus Laos Mbato1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0284-3557English for Religions, Arts, and Cultures, Saengtham College, Chiang Rai, ThailandEnglish Education Master’s Program, Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta, IndonesiaThe professional identity of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in formal education has been widely studied, but research in informal education remains limited. This study explores the context of critical incidents (CIs) identified by informal language institutions (ILIs) EFL teachers and how EFL teachers in ILIs negotiate and construct their professional identities using the critical incident technique (CIT). Ten EFL teachers from an informal English course in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, participated through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Data analysis identified key themes in CIs affecting teachers' professional identity. Results show that within informal language institution, CIs for teachers occurred in the context of the teacher's professional development, students, and direct work environment. The positive CIs, such as student progression and collaborative support, significantly boosted teachers' confidence and teaching effectiveness, whereas negative CIs, such as absenteeism and perceived inequities, posed challenges to their professional growth. Despite its limitations, including small sample size and reliance on self-reported data, the study provides valuable insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of teaching in informal educational settings, offering directions for future research and practical implications for teacher development programs.https://e-journal.iain-palangkaraya.ac.id/index.php/jefl/article/view/9070critical incidentsenglish for foreign learnersinformal english courseteacher identity constructionteacher professional identity
spellingShingle Rachelina Larasati
Concilianus Laos Mbato
Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
Journal on English as a Foreign Language
critical incidents
english for foreign learners
informal english course
teacher identity construction
teacher professional identity
title Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
title_full Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
title_fullStr Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
title_full_unstemmed Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
title_short Investigating professional identity construction of EFL teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
title_sort investigating professional identity construction of efl teachers in informal language institutions through the lens of critical incidents
topic critical incidents
english for foreign learners
informal english course
teacher identity construction
teacher professional identity
url https://e-journal.iain-palangkaraya.ac.id/index.php/jefl/article/view/9070
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