Developmental shifts in ELF perceptions: How teaching experience shapes Thai pre-service and in-service teachers’ readiness for ELF-informed pedagogy

Abstract

This study investigated how teaching experience influences Thai pre-service and in-service teachers' ELF perceptions and examines their perspectives on incorporating ELF-informed approaches into classroom practice. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, 92 participants from the same ELT teacher education program were recruited across three groups: junior pre-service teachers (n = 30), senior pre-service teachers (n = 36), and in-service teachers (n = 26). A questionnaire adapted from Curran and Chern (2017) measured perceptions across four ELF-related dimensions, supplemented by focus-group interviews with 15 volunteers (five per group). ANOVA results indicated that teaching experience significantly influenced views on language models and intercultural competence, with in-service teachers showing less attachment to native-speaker norms and greater prioritization of communicative effectiveness. Qualitatively, a developmental progression emerged. Junior pre-service teachers expressed uncertainty about ELF, senior pre-service teachers showed growing pedagogical awareness, and in-service teachers offered more critical, experience-informed perspectives. All groups endorsed bilingual practices, particularly L1 use to support comprehension. These findings underscore the centrality of experiential learning in developing ELF awareness and call for stage-specific, scaffolded ELF integration within teacher education programs, with implications for curriculum reform and professional development in expanding-circle contexts.