Development of Teacher Professional Identity and Agency: An Ethnographic Study of a Saudi English Language Institute

This study explores the relationship between English teachers and administrators in a Saudi Arabian university language institute. It combines qualitative data from policy documents, interviews and focus group discussions. Critical Discourse Analysis is employed to analyse institutional documents, while thematic analysis is used to analyse interview and discussion data. It finds that teachers' professional needs are not adequately addressed due to a top-down organisational structure, limiting their agency and professional identity. The study emphasises the importance of recognising teachers' voices, enhancing their agency, and advocating for policy changes to improve teaching practices and professional development and learning opportunities.