Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: A Critical Review of Frameworks for EFL Teacher Professional Development

This critical review explores emergent paradigms in teacher professional development (TPD) with a focus on in-service English language teachers. Drawing on recent research, the study examines dominant frameworks such as TPACK, Lesson Study, Communities of Practice (CoP), self-directed models, and blended learning designs. While each system is beneficial in aiding teacher learning, the review shows a persistent lack of a comprehensive, context-sensitive, and sustainable TPD system suiting the EFL teachers' realities. The critique points to the fragmentation of current practices, which are typical in their episodic, top-down training, barely practical for classroom teaching, teachers' agency, or teacher well-being. Informal and hybrid approaches, though more reflective and collaborative, are underdeveloped due to systemic constraints. The review concludes by summoning flexible, modular, and teacher-centered professional learning spaces responsive to institutional facilitation, local context, and evolving pedagogical needs. Implications are made for policymakers, teachers, and stakeholders looking to build more integrated and efficient TPD strategies in Türkiye and comparative contexts.