Learning contexts available for Japanese teachers in a top tier public high school : encompassing a demanding work environment with adult education needs.

Japanese high school teachers are extremely busy. They are covering a myriad of duties in exceedingly long shifts when compared to their colleagues from across the world. The tasks that teachers have to undergo on a daily basis could vary greatly every semester and so does their need for interaction with peers, superiors, society, parents and students. This puts them at the forefront of a wide array of ever changing learning contexts while perhaps also compromising their needs for personal and professional development. Nevertheless, the degree of sophistication and variety of learning settings available to teachers, quite often, mirrors their work commitment and obligations. Teachers are also aware of additional threats hampering their performance and aims for empowering their students with holistic education. The aim of this research is to identify the strategies that teachers use for satisfying their own adult learning interests and professional development while highlighting the biggest impediments to their learning goals. This study pretends to be a snapshot of the current state of affairs of high school English teachers in Japan as well as a reflection of the resilience of other English teachers across Japan. I have used a qualitative approach using theme analysis in the interpretation of semi-structured interviews.