VietTESOL International Convention 2025

Since its introduction in 2006, Dweck’s mindset theory (i.e., growth and fixed mindset) has attracted considerable scholarly attention. Despite its proven significance in improving one’s outcomes, especially in the face of setbacks, its emergence in English language learning and teaching invites further research. This scoping review, adopting PCC-based protocol (i.e., Population, Concept, and Context), aims to comprehensively understand how English teachers’ mindsets have been studied, informing future research directions. A Boolean search query, including “mind”, “teach”, and “English” as key terms, was developed, tailored, and applied to four databases (i.e., Scopus, WoS, ProQuest, ERIC), yielding 1001 records published between 2006 and 2025. Against the predetermined criteria, both researchers screened independently and resolved discrepancies through discussion. The researchers identified forty eligible articles and jointly constructed a data-charting table, determining critical data to be extracted for further analysis and reporting. Document analysis revealed that past research employed various approaches to studying teacher mindsets, and the number of studies accelerated from 2021 to 2025. Additionally, despite the compliance with Dweck’s conceptualization of mindsets, the studies varied in their focused domains (i.e., general intelligence, teaching ability, and students’ ability). The studies showed several research themes concerning the influence of teachers’ mindsets on their technology integration and use, identity formation and change, professional learning and development, instructional practices, and their emotions. The review reveals methodological and contextual gaps (e.g., scarcity of longitudinal design and voices from pre-service teachers), and research prospects are discussed.