ENGLISH TEACHERS’ LEARNING RESOURCES ADAPTATION: AN ANALYSIS ON TEACHER AGENCY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN INDONESIA

Abstract

Learning resource adaptation is an important aspect of English language teaching because teachers need to align instructional materials with students’ learning needs, classroom conditions, and instructional objectives. Although previous studies have examined instructional material adaptation, limited attention has been given to how such practices constitute an enactment of teacher agency in Indonesian secondary school contexts. This study explores how English teachers adapt learning resources and how these practices reflect teacher agency. A qualitative case study was conducted with three EFL teachers from secondary schools in Bandung, Indonesia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and documentary evidence of adapted and teacher-made learning resources and analysed qualitatively to identify patterns of resource adaptation and teacher agency. The findings show that teachers adapted learning resources through selecting, supplementing, modifying, and selectively replacing materials according to students’ needs and classroom conditions. The extent and form of adaptation varied: one teacher substantially modified materials from different sources, another integrated digital resources with the prescribed textbook, while the third relied primarily on the government-issued textbook and selectively used supplementary materials. These practices reflected teacher agency through professional judgement, autonomy in resource selection, collaborative lesson planning, and context-sensitive instructional decision-making. The study contributes theoretically by positioning learning resource adaptation as a concrete enactment of teacher agency in English language teaching. Practically, it highlights the need for professional development, institutional support, and instructional flexibility to enable teachers to develop contextually responsive learning practices.