Investigating the Autonomy Orientations and Perceptions of Saudi EFL Teachers

Abstract

This research aims to explore the autonomy orientation of English language teachers in the western province of Saudi Arabia, home to numerous secondary schools. The study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT), examines the impact of two primary variables: the teachers' genders and their levels of teaching experience. A cohort of 102 Saudi secondary school language teachers participated in the study, with 10 engaging in a qualitative follow-up. Data were collected via a questionnaire and analyzed using statistical techniques such as t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings indicated that the autonomy orientation among Saudi language teachers was moderate, with female teachers showing more supportive tendencies towards their students. Moreover, the study uncovered a discrepancy between the teachers’ autonomy orientations and their perceptions of the concept, attributing their perceived constraints and roles to the national education system. In light of these findings, the study advocates for pre-service and in-service training programs designed to enable English language teachers to foster an autonomy-supportive environment for their students. Additionally, the study calls for further research to deepen the understanding of English language teachers' autonomy orientations in Saudi Arabia and the interplay between autonomy orientation and teachers’ perceptions of autonomy.