Negotiating Faith and Pedagogy: A Systematic Review on the Professional Identity of English Teachers in Islamic Boarding Schools

Abstract

The professional identity of English teachers in Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) represents a complex intersection of pedagogy, faith, and institutional culture. Unlike in secular settings, professionalism in pesantren is inseparable from religious and moral commitments, where teaching English is viewed as both an academic and spiritual endeavor. Despite growing interest in teacher identity studies, limited systematic evidence exists on how this identity is constructed within Islamic educational contexts. This study aims to synthesize existing research on the professional identity of English teachers in pesantren, focusing on how it is conceptualized, what factors influence its formation, and which theoretical and methodological trends characterize current scholarship. Using the PRISMA framework, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted on studies published between 2005 and 2025. Data were extracted and thematically analyzed to identify conceptual patterns, contextual influences, and theoretical orientations across 30 relevant publications related to teacher identity, English language teaching, and Islamic education. The review reveals that teacher identity in pesantren is grounded in the integration of pedagogical competence, moral integrity, and spiritual devotion. Identity construction is mediated by institutional culture, kiai leadership, and faith-based values. Teachers demonstrate agency by negotiating between modern pedagogical methods and Islamic ethics. The literature converges around sociocultural, identity-in-context, and ecological frameworks, with qualitative research dominating and mixed-method approaches emerging. The review advances theoretical understanding by embedding moral and spiritual dimensions within identity frameworks. Practically, it underscores the need for faith-based professional development programs that align Islamic values with contemporary pedagogy. Future research should employ longitudinal and comparative designs to explore how teachers’ moral reasoning and professional agency evolve across diverse pesantren contexts.