A Narrative Inquiry Into Jeannie’s Journey

Language education and language teacher education in the world have evolved from method era to postmethod era, in which teacher autonomy as a new approach of teacher development has been put on the agenda. Possible contributions abroad and at home discuss components of teacher autonomy speculatively. Studies under the empirical paradigm explore the relation between teacher autonomy and learner autonomy in Second/Foreign Language teaching and the status quo of teacher-learner autonomy as well as approach to cultivating teacher-learner autonomy in teacher education. However, narrative inquiry as an in-depth research paradigm focusing on life experience which is applied to teacher autonomy research is still in its infancy.Driven by narrative inquiry, this article tries to give account of Jeannie’s experiences of teacher autonomy development in China by taking a thematic analysis approach to Jeannie’s narratives collected through life history interview, individual diary and personal archive. Then this paper inquires the relation between teacher autonomy and teacher identity and influencing factors on teacher autonomy so as to refine a framework for English teachers’ autonomy development in China.Thematic analysis of Jeannie’s narratives demonstrate that the journey of teacher autonomy development consists of three stages:(1) autonomous learning in formal schooling (2) autonomous construction of teacher identity (3) autonomous development in teacher profession including generating professional philosophy and taking professional actions to acquire experience of teacher development.With a careful look into Jeannie’s experiences of the three stages, understandings come out that:(1) teacher identity is the foundation of teacher autonomy and taking actions of teacher autonomy contributes to the development of teacher identity.(2) socio-cultural factors and personal factors are the influential factors on teacher autonomy, and teacher autonomy is a negotiating process between socio-cultural factors and personal factors. Socio-cultural factors are composed of social factor, institutional factor and interpersonal factor. Personal factors are affective factor and cognitive factor. Some of the factors are facilitating but some constraining. Teachers should keep positive psychological state towards constraints of teacher autonomy and make full preparations for catching opportunities to create spaces for teacher autonomy.Based on understanding of Jeannie’s journey, a framework of teacher autonomy development has been sketched out including two kinds of factors, eight steps and four functions, which is believed to provide valuable suggestions for the author’s coming professional development but its suitability for other English teachers in China in postmethod era Has yet to be discussed and explored.