Stages of Teacher's Professionalism: How Are English Language Teachers Engaged?

Teaching as a legitimate profession where teachers could practise their teaching and decide on their professionalism has been under debate over the last two decades. This study reflectively discusses the changing of building and developing teacher's professionalism in Saudi Arabia. It draws on my teaching journey as an English language teacher and the established theoretical framework. In order to gain in depth understanding of this issue, the study utilized small scale study to investigate teacher professionalism issues that disempower Saudi teachers from being legitimate in their profession to bring clear illustration about teachers' beliefs and practices of their professionalism. Three Saudi teachers reported that top down policy decisions regarding their professionalism, their supervisors as well as head teachers practices and cultures of teachers' education impacted negatively on their professionalism. They discussed in depth how the context of their teaching impacted on their professionalism. Specifically, the study aimed to explore whether teachers are able to practise their identity and agency as legitimate in their professionalism. Interviews were used to collect data then were transcribed, coded and thematically analyzed. One of its findings is teachers’ visualizing their professionalism and they recognize themselves as legitimate teachers. The other findings were discussed and recommendations developed to help Saudi English Language teachers and Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia, as well as researchers in the future.