In‐service TESOL teachers' professional learning (2014–2024): A scoping review

Abstract In‐service teacher professional learning (PL) has become essential for enhancing teaching competence to meet the ever‐changing demands of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). Existing literature reviews have identified and focused on specific factors influencing TESOL teachers' PL and probed into PL for preservice teachers but fallen short of a focus on in‐service TESOL teachers' PL. Hence, this paper addresses the gap through a scoping review of the empirical literature on in‐service TESOL teachers' PL from 2014 to 2024. Following a screening process of 767 studies, 65 empirical studies were selected for analysis. The review identified characteristics of the studies before conducting thematic analysis guided by the research questions (RQs) to synthesise the various types of in‐service PL models, impacts of PL on TESOL teachers and factors influencing PL effectiveness. This review not only offers practical insights for teacher educators and teachers to support productive PL but also informs future research to address the identified gaps, such as limited investigation into PL regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and PL for teachers in private for‐profit sectors, addressing the evolving PL needs of TESOL teachers. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Although some reviews have focused on preservice TESOL teachers' PL, no review has synthesised in‐service PL globally. This scoping review addresses that gap to inform practice, theory and research. Why the new findings matter: The findings reveal research trends in in‐service TESOL PL and offer implications for teacher educators, teachers and researchers. Implications for practitioners and researchers: Findings support practitioners including teachers and teacher educators by offering adaptable PL models from diverse contexts and identifying key factors that influence PL's effectiveness. Teacher educators can use these insights to design context‐responsive, effective PL initiatives. For researchers, the review highlights the need to view TESOL teachers as active, agentive learners, particularly in navigating globalised teaching environments. It also identifies significant gaps in research on PL in private for‐profit sectors and the integration of digital innovations such as AI and online learning tools—areas that are increasingly relevant to the future of TESOL professional learning.