Enhancing pedagogical practices: Insights from novice and experienced English language teachers

This study investigates the pedagogical knowledge of novice and experienced English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Iran by analyzing their verbal reports. This research aims to identify the pedagogical knowledge categories inferred from the teachers’ reports, determine the frequency of occurrence of each category, and compare the differences between novice and experienced teachers. This study employs the Stimulated Recall Technique and combines quantitative and qualitative data analyses. The teaching process (about 90 min) of a total of 40 EFL teachers recorded, and then the teachers were interviewed about their teaching practices. The data were transcribed and analyzed using Gatbonton’s (2008) framework of pedagogical knowledge categories. The dominant pedagogical knowledge categories for novice teachers were Procedure Check, Language Management, Note Behavior, Progress Review, Knowledge of Students, and Affective, accounting for 67.33% of their pedagogical thought units. In contrast, the dominant pedagogical knowledge categories for experienced teachers were Language Management, Procedure Check, Progress Review, Beliefs, Decisions, and Note Behavior, accounting for 66.22% oftheir pedagogical thought units. This study contributes to the understanding of EFL teachers’ pedagogical knowledge in the Iranian context and has implications for teacher training and professional development. The findings can inform the design ofeffective training programs that address the specific needs of novice and experienced teachers, thereby enhancing their pedagogical knowledge and instructional practices.