On the journey from cognizance toward thriving: Iranian EFL teachers’ engagement in reflective practice and professional development: the mediating effect of teacher mindfulness

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the crucial role of teaching in society and the inquiry into effective teaching qualities. It underscored the prominence of mindfulness in teaching, as well as the ongoing process of reflective practice within the realm of EFL educators. The research aimed to create a model illuminating the relationships between EFL teachers’ reflective practice, teacher mindfulness, and professional development. It also delved into the mediating role of teacher mindfulness in this context. To attain this research objective, a convenience sampling method was utilized, leading to the selection of 150 EFL teachers from private language institutions across different provinces in Iran. Employing a quantitative methodology three distinct questionnaires were utilized to gather data. Subsequently, the information was examined through the application of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The structural model evaluation indicated significant path coefficients reinforcing all research hypotheses, with mindfulness functioning as a significant mediator between reflective practice and professional development. It is implied that there is a conspicuous emphasis on integrating mindfulness and reflective practices into educational policies and curricula to cultivate continuous growth and development among teachers.

KEYWORDS:

• EFL teachers
• teacher mindfulness
• reflective practice
• teacher professional development

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hiwa Weisi

Hiwa Weisi is an Associate Professor in Applied linguistics. His area of interest includes Reflective Teaching, discourse analysis, multilingualism, and sociolinguistics. He has written one book in English titled Usage Notes, has translated four books into Persian (one was with the cooperation of Prof. Riazi from Macquarie University and one was published by Multilingual Matters and Dayton University). Hiwa Weisi has written many scholarly articles in the field which have been published in prestigious journals with JCR and Scopus indices. He has presented in many national and international conferences too. Besides, he has supervised many theses and dissertations in Applied Linguistics field. He is currently teaching BA, MA and PhD courses at Razi University.

Maryam Salari

Maryam Salari is a Ph.D. student in Applied Linguistics. Her areas of interest include teaching English language skills, CALL, and critical discourse analysis. She is the author of some articles in her areas of interest and has presented papers in international conferences too.