A pilot study on integrating mindfulness-informed professional development for EFL teachers

This pilot mixed-methods case study investigates the mindfulness levels and perceptions of secondary school EFL teachers as the initial phase of a larger intervention project aimed at enhancing teacher wellbeing and professional competence. Acknowledging the emotional, cognitive, and relational demands of language teaching, this study assesses teachers’ mindfulness skills and examines conditions that influence their openness to and engagement with mindfulness-based practices today. Thirty-one teachers completed two standardized instruments, the Mindfulness in Teaching Scale (MTS) and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS), while eight teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Quantitative findings showed moderate overall mindfullness, with higher competence in observing and describing and lower performance in acting with awareness and accepting without judgment, while observing emerged as the strongest predictor of overall mindfulness. Qualitative results revealed limited prior knowledge of mindfulness, but generally positive attitudes toward its potential benefits for emotional regulation, stress reduction, and classroom climate. Teachers also identified several barriers to practical implementation, including time constraints, insufficient training, institutional pressures, and possible misconceptions among administrators or parents. Despite these concerns, participants expressed interest in professional development opportunities that provide clear conceptual grounding, practical strategies, and classroom-relevant applications. Taken together, these findings underscore the need for mindfulness-informed professional development that systematically builds mindfulness skills through scaffolded, context-sensitive approaches. The study provides a foundational evidence base for designing a targeted mindfulness-based intervention intended to strengthen EFL teachers’ wellbeing, resilience, and pedagogical presence within demanding instructional environments.