Situated, Relational, and Critical: A Participatory Action Research Study of English Language Educators’ Homegrown Professional Learning in Oaxaca, Mexico

Professional learning can promote equity in English language teaching, yet conventional approaches to professional development are technical, acontextual, and position educators as passive recipients of knowledge. This participatory action research study advances a situated, relational, and critical approach to professional learning and documents a collective of language educators in Oaxaca, Mexico that engaged in ongoing professional learning rooted in critical reflections on situated practice. Data were collected from transcripts of group discussions and teachers’ individual written reflections, and participants engaged in a process of collective data analysis. Findings suggest educators experienced increased confidence in their professional identities and their ability to develop culturally relevant curricula. Moreover, all participants reported an increased commitment to advocate for more equitable policies in the field. Finally, this paper offers guiding questions for educators in different contexts to consider when designing their own situated, relational, and critical professional learning experiences.