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Abstract
This study aims to investigate evolution of perspectives of five EFL teachers who graduated from an English Language Teaching program in 2012 and have nine years of teaching experience. The study focuses on how perspectives articulated during the pre-service period evolved or remained stable over time. A qualitative research design grounded in an interpretive paradigm was employed, using a multiple case study approach. Data were collected through reflective journals produced during the participants’ pre-service practicum and semi-structured interviews conducted nine years after graduation. Thematic analysis was conducted using Korthagen’s Onion Model and Cabaroglu’s framework on belief change as guiding analytical lenses, which examined perspectives across the layers of mission, identity, competency, behavior, environment, and pedagogical beliefs. The findings reveal considerable diversity in teachers’ perspectives, a predominance of critical reflection over surface-level reflection, limited representation at the behavior and competency layers, and a strong concentration of perspectives at the level of pedagogical beliefs. Overall, teachers were found to modify their perspectives more frequently than they preserved them. Eight distinct patterns of change and non-change were identified: conservation, clarification, consolidation, reframing, weakening, moderation, simplification, and disagreement. The interrelationships among these patterns were explained through a model of change. The developmental trajectories indicate a shift from predominantly idealistic orientations toward more pragmatic approaches to teaching, reflecting increased contextual awareness, adaptability, and professional confidence. The study underscores the dynamic and multifaceted nature of teacher development and offers implications for reflective practice, mentoring, and career-aligned in-service teacher education.
