Reflective Practice in an AI-Driven Era: A Narrative Inquiry into an EFL Teacher’s Professional Development

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction is reshaping how educators teach, reflect, and position themselves professionally. This qualitative study investigates how Reflective Practice (RP) supports the professional development of an in-service Korean EFL teacher as she incorporates AI tools such as ChatGPT and Grammarly into her classroom. Guided by Farrell’s (2014) holistic RP framework and employing a narrative inquiry approach, the study examines the participant’s evolving pedagogical beliefs and decision-making processes amid technological change. Data from reflective journals, interviews, and classroom observations were analyzed thematically through Farrell’s five components of reflection: philosophy, principles, theory, practice, and beyond practice. Findings show that RP enabled the teacher to critically engage with the pedagogical affordances and ethical limitations of AI, reframe her professional identity, and adopt more learner-centered, responsive teaching practices. Implications are offered for TESOL teacher education programs seeking to foster critical digital literacy and prepare teachers for AI-integrated instructional contexts. Implications also extend to ESP instruction, highlighting that AI-supported, needs-based tasks can enable teachers design more authentic and purpose-driven activities that better prepare learners for academic and professional communication demands in the digital era.