Teachers in ‘international schools’ as an emerging field of inquiry: A literature review of themes and theoretical developments

This review article identifies the trends and developments regarding teachers in international schools from 1998 until 2022. International school teachers as a group are worthy of study as the number of schools delivering a curriculum in English outside of an English-speaking nation has grown considerably in recent years. Amidst continuous statistical growth there has been major structural changes as the arena has attracted a local middle class and the attention of commercial entities. As a result, the profit driven ‘non-traditional’ arena is now the dominant one, centred upon The Asia-Pacific and the Middle-East. This literature review analysed 69 peer-reviewed academic journal papers with regard to their thematic focus, methods, and theoretical frameworks. Three distinct phases of literature can be identified, with a sociological lens appearing after 2012 and a major period of growth beginning in 2015, and a large number of research gaps can be identified