Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of English Language Teaching, Sara. C., Islamic Azad University, Sarab, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of English Language Teaching, Sara. C., Islamic Azad University, Sarab, Iran.
3 Assistant Professor, Department of English Language Teaching, Bon. C., Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran.
Abstract
This qualitative study examines pedagogical practices in Iranian public secondary school EFL settings, in particular the use of textbooks, language in the classroom, teaching strategies, and teacher agency. Drawing on twelve classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with twelve English teachers, it investigates the degree of adherence to the government-prescribed Vision textbook series, patterns and reasons for L1 (Persian) and L2 (English) use, methodological approaches used and teacher agency within systemic constraints. Findings reveal that there is a high dependence on textbooks and teacher manuals, little adaptation of the material, and heavy reliance on teacher-centered presentation-practice-production (PPP) approaches. In the classroom, Persian is used 65 percent of the interactions especially to support lower-proficiency learners. Institutional factors—centralized curricula, inadequate resources, exam-oriented culture, and teachers' limited language proficiency—curtail professional autonomy. Although many teachers are interested in more communicative approaches, structural barriers prevent their adoption. The study highlights the need for context-sensitive teacher preparation, textbook revisions and pedagogical flexibility to improve the effectiveness of teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) in centralized education systems.
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