Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Background and purpose As international schools expand across Asia, teacher-coaches increasingly play a pivotal role in implementing holistic, intercultural education. However, little is known about how these educators make sense of their coaching roles in culturally diverse, institutionally complex environments. Grounded in Positioning Theory, this qualitative study aimed to describe and explain teacher-coaches’ experiences in coaching at an international school in Japan. Specifically, it explored how they positioned themselves and navigated institutional and intercultural expectations through their coaching practices.Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven teacher-coaches representing diverse sports, teaching roles, and professional backgrounds. Data were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis, informed by Positioning Theory of positions, storylines, and speech acts.Results Three themes emerged: (1) Enacting a moral order of holistic education; (2) Mediating diversity through inclusive coaching; and (3) Adapting through ongoing, informal professional learning. Teacher-coaches consistently framed their roles as integral to student development, not merely in physical or technical terms, but also in ethical and relational dimensions. They described routine adjustments in communication, pedagogy, and behavior norms to build inclusive team cultures amid transient student populations. Their professional development opportunity was largely informal, highlighting a need for context-sensitive, peer-based learning communities and accessible, sport-specific training opportunities.Conclusion By extending Positioning Theory beyond classroom contexts, this study illustrates how coaching in international schools involves ongoing negotiation across pedagogical, institutional, and cultural domains, pointing to coaching as an essential, yet often under-supported, site of educational practice.Impact Statement This study foregrounds extracurricular sports coaching as a critical but underexplored site of educational practice in international schools. It highlights the need for context-sensitive professional learning opportunities for teacher-coaches and offers insights for school leaders and policymakers seeking to design coaching practices that align with holistic and intercultural educational missions.
Mizushima et al. (Wed,) studied this question.