Challenges of distance English teaching: Narrative analysis of Iranian mainstream EFL teachers’ lived experiences

Abstract This study aimed to examine what challenges Iranian EFL teachers in the mainstream educational system experienced distance classes during COVID-19 pandemic. Telephone unstructured narrative interview was employed collect data from 20 teacher participants, and two theoretical frameworks, CoI TPACK, were used interpret results. The thematic analysis yielded ten themes: non-customized platforms, material-related issues, connection/internet pedagogical problems, evaluation insufficiency of teachers’ knowledge technology, unmet expectations, physical absence teacher/student, student-related dealing with negative emotions. authors discuss that while some are antecedent contextual existed will probably continue exist context classes, other can be avoided if equipped TPACK fulfill their new roles community classes.