Beliefs and Self-Perceived Practices of Learner Autonomy among Iranian High School EFL Teachers: A Mixed-Methods Study

Learner autonomy is increasingly valued in EFL education for extending learning beyond the classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare Iranian high school English teachers’ beliefs and self-perceived practices regarding learner autonomy with respect to their gender and teaching experience. The sample consisted of 60 male and female teachers from public and private high schools from three Iranian cities—Tehran, Qazvin, and Sanandaj. Data were collected through a mixed methods design using a Likert-type questionnaire and open-ended questions. The result of the quantitative analyses showed no significant difference between male and female teachers’ beliefs, but a significant difference emerged between novice and experienced teachers’ beliefs, with the latter more likely to believe that their students demonstrated autonomy. The qualitative findings indicated that most experienced teachers claimed that they encouraged autonomy through group work, topic choice, and student-centered strategies, whereas novice teachers reported motivational challenges. The attained themes included student initiative, motivation, dependence on the teacher, group work, and autonomous engagement—that represented the central ideas underlying teachers’ reasoning and classroom strategies. Thematic patterns were then compared across gender and teaching experience groups to identify notable differences and similarities in beliefs and practices. The results revealed slight nuances between male and female teachers regarding their practices, whereas the findings underscored the influence of teaching experience on teachers’ practices concerning learner autonomy and highlighted the need to integrate autonomy-supportive approaches into EFL teacher education programs.