Journal of Critical Applied Linguistics Studies

fa EFL Teachers’ Perceptions on the Role of Lesson Study in their Professional Development: Critical Pathways تخصصي Special پژوهشي Research <div style="text-align: justify;">Lesson Study (LS), as a professional development approach, motivates teachers to develop skills making them aware of the dynamics of students’ learning during a lesson. This study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of the role of (LS) in their professional development. To this end, five Iranian secondary school EFL teachers took part in the study. Four instruments including a semi-structured interview, diary writing, observation field-notes, and Telegram© notes were used to collect the data. The teachers participated in a (LS) program conducted in 12 face-to-face 90-minute sessions. A thematic analysis approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was used to analyse the interview data. The data obtained through diary, observation, and Telegram© platform were subjected to content analysis (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Five major themes were emerged including behavioural and psychological effects, collaborative development, raised awareness about pedagogical practice, concerns about LS, and changes to teaching practice. The analysis indicated that lesson courses developed the teaching performances of the participants. The findings call up Iranian EFL teachers and practitioners to pay due attention to the function of LS in teacher growth and teacher development.</div> Lesson Study, professional development, collaborative development, zone of proximal development, teaching practice 141 160 http://cals.gonbad.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-3&slc_lang=fa&sid=1 Sorayya Behroozizad sorayyabehroozi@gmail.com 1003194753284600200 1003194753284600200 Yes Sorayya Behroozizad (Corresponding Author), Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran. Email: sorayyabehroozi@gmail.com Alireza Alizadeh, MA in Applied Linguistics, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran. Email: alireza.sovari@gmail.com Alireza Alizadeh alireza.sovari@gmail.com 1003194753284600201 1003194753284600201 No