Beyond technical competence: the lived experience of professionalism among EFL teachers in Addis Ababa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58423/2786-6726/2026-2-166-205Keywords:
teacher professionalism, EFL teachers, phenomenological research, teacher identity, vocational commitmentAbstract
This phenomenological study examines teachers’ perceptions and lived experiences of professionalism among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in Ethiopian secondary schools. It addresses a gap in research on teacher professionalism in Global South contexts. Based on interviews with 16 teachers, two focus group discussions, and an analysis of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) portfolios from eight schools, the study finds that teachers define professionalism as a holistic vocation consisting of four interrelated dimensions: personal traits and virtues, subject matter expertise, pedagogical knowledge and skills, and commitment to professional growth. The findings challenge technical-rational perspectives on teacher professionalism by showing that Ethiopian EFL teachers ground their professional identity in love, sacrifice, care, and moral commitment — dimensions that are often systematically erased from official documentation systems. The document analysis reveals a sharp divide between two schools where relational and identity-affirming forms of documentation were evident, and six schools where performative, compliance-oriented documentation suppressed teacher voice. The study contributes to the literature on Global South perspectives in language teacher education by foregrounding teachers’ lived experiences. Its implications include redesigning CPD documentation to reflect teachers’ genuine professional identities, strengthening professional associations such as the Ethiopian English Language Professionals Association (EELPA), and reconnecting policy to teachers’ expressed needs through participatory approaches.
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