Exploring Chinese EFL Primary School Novice Teachers’ Perceptions of Institutional Support During Their Transition into Teaching
This study explores novice Chinese EFL primary school teachers’ perceptions of institutional support during their transition into full-time teaching. A small-scale qualitative design was adopted, involving four primary school English teachers in China with two to three years of teaching experience. Data were collected through online semi-structured interviews conducted in Chinese and analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants experienced both formal and informal support, including induction, mentoring, classroom observation and feedback, professional development, and collegial support. Support was generally valued when it was practical, accessible, and relevant to immediate teaching needs. However, participants continued to experience challenges related to home–school cooperation, limited EFL-specific support, and curriculum change. Overall, the findings suggest that institutional support should be systematic, continuous, and responsive to novice teachers’ changing professional needs.
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