The Influence of Overseas Study on Saudi Female EFL Instructors: A Narrative Inquiry

Abstract

This narrative study investigates the experiences of Saudi female English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instructors who have completed their postgraduate education overseas and returned home to teach in Saudi higher education institutions. The main aim of this study is to understand how their experiences at home and abroad have informed and determined their educational choices and their current teaching beliefs and practices. The practical relevance of this study is underscored by the growing number of Saudi academics, including EFL instructors, who pursue postgraduate education overseas, yet there remains a limited understanding of the effects of these international experiences, both on the academics themselves and on the students they teach. The study addresses a) the undocumented learning and teaching experiences of female EFL instructors, b) the limited research on Saudi EFL female instructors’ professional learning in relation to overseas education, and c) the need for holistic methodologies when examining teachers’ development (Mockler, 2011). Data for this study were collected through four rounds of narrative interviews with six participants. Framed within a constructivist paradigm, the data analysis attends to both the narrated events and narrating events (Wortham & Reyes, 2015) of the narrative. The participants' narratives are approached through a joint model of agency (Emirbayer & Mische, 1998; Giddens, 1984) to explore their educational choices, learning experiences, and teaching practices. The study provides insights into the complex interplay of factors that influence Saudi female EFL instructors’ educational choices and learning and teaching experiences. Findings reveal that Saudi female EFL instructors' educational choices are shaped by both personal aspirations and external factors like family, societal norms, and the job market. Despite challenges, they demonstrate agency in pursuing desired educational pathways. Their learning journeys, from local BA programmes to overseas MA programmes, are marked by challenges and growth, leading to transformed perspectives on teaching. Overseas experiences, in particular, emerge as a catalyst for adopting more student-centred approaches. However, implementing these approaches is influenced by institutional support, student readiness, workload, and alignment between assessment and teaching philosophies. The study highlights the impact of overseas education on teaching practices while emphasising the need to address contextual factors to support pedagogical innovation in local institutions.