A Study on the Development of Adaptive Expertise among English Teachers in the Context of Online Teaching

Abstract

The normalization of online teaching poses systematic challenges to the professional competence of English teachers, as traditional classroom-centered competency frameworks struggle to adequately address the demands of language instruction in digital environments. This study aims to explore the development of adaptive expertise among English teachers in the context of online teaching, with a focus on analyzing its unique theoretical connotations, structural characteristics, and developmental pathways. The research first explains how the online context reshapes the features of language teaching, transforms teachers' roles and interaction patterns, and expands the multidimensional teaching competency framework. Subsequently, the paper defines the core meaning of adaptive expertise in the field of language education and analyzes its specific manifestations at cognitive and behavioral levels. Finally, the study constructs a developmental pathway model that positions individual reflection and self-directed learning as the internal engine, collaborative professional communities as the socio-cognitive scaffold, and the cultivation of technology-integrated teaching innovation capabilities as the practical orientation. This research provides a theoretical perspective and an analytical framework for understanding and promoting the continuous professional growth of English teachers in technology-rich environments.