Professional Development of EFL Teachers in ASEAN countries and Japan Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/bej.2025.16Keywords:
EFL teachers, professional development, ASEAN and JapanAbstract
With the growing global emphasis on educational quality, many ASEAN countries, and Japan, have increasingly focused on the professional development (PD) of English teachers. This study investigates the perception, provision, practice and suggestion in English teacher professional development across selected ASEAN countries and Japan. Existing studies have often focused on single countries or treated teacher professional development as a general issue, overlooking the comparative dimension across multiple ASEAN and Japan contexts. This systematic review examines 39 studies published between 1993 and 2025, focusing on ESL and EFL classrooms and the ways teachers enhance their professional skills. This study involved 100 participants from five ASEAN countries and Japan, including one participant each from Cambodia and Japan, 40 from Malaysia, 24 from Myanmar, 24 from Thailand, and 10 from Vietnam. Data were collected through Google Forms distributed via email, Facebook, and Telegram groups, as well as during a conference meeting in Malaysia, using a questionnaire consisting of 38 items on a 9-point Likert scale. The data were analysed using SPSS version 20 over a two-month period. Descriptive statistics were employed by calculating the percentage distribution of responses for each item, followed by the computation of mean scores and standard deviations to identify central tendencies and variability across participants’ responses. The findings reveal that while most teachers hold very positive attitude towards PD especially in areas such as lesson planning, teaching techniques, and the use of ICT. However, significant concerns remain such as time constraints, limited access to international opportunities like scholarships, and gaps in assessment skills. Notable differences were also observed between countries. The study concludes that although teachers recognize the value of PD, more structured support, international access, and targeted training are needed. The results have implications for educational institutions, policymakers, and future researchers interested in improving PD practices in diverse educational contexts.
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