Self-Perceptions of Teacher Autonomy Within a Standardised English Language Program at a Japanese University

Abstract

Teacher autonomy relates to the teacher’s capacity, freedom and responsibility to self-direct and self-reflect on choices that affect their role as a teacher. This study takes a two-fold approach in examining (1) the degree to which English language teachers in a university in Japan felt autonomous whilst adhering to a standardized curriculum, and (2) how teachers that self-identified as having a significantly higher degree of autonomy than their colleagues continued to find ways to exercise it in this context. The first stage utilized the Teacher Autonomy Scale (TAS). Then in stage two interviews were conducted with teachers who had reported the greatest level of autonomy on the TAS. The findings from the research suggest that teachers are still able to create spaces to express their autonomy within a standardised curriculum through processes of supplementation or modification, which may be motivated by either feeling a responsibility to offer their students more, or a desire for professional freedom and confidence in using their own discretion.