Reflections On Language Teacher Identity Research

Reflections on Language Teacher Identity Research is the first book to present understandings of language teacher identity (LTI) from a broad range of research fields. Drawing on their personal research experience, 41 contributors locate LTI within their area of expertise by considering their conceptual understanding of LTI and the methodological approaches used to investigate it. The chapters are narrative in nature and take the form of guided reflections within a common chapter structure, with authors embedding their discussions within biographical accounts of their professional lives and research work. Authors weave discussions of LTI into their own research biographies, employing a personal reflective style. This book also looks to future directions in LTI research, with suggestions for research topics and methodological approaches. This is an ideal resource for students and researchers interested in language teacher identity as well as language teaching and research more generally.

In today’s educational world, it is crucial for language teachers to continuously evolve in order to best serve language learners. Further study on the best practices and challenges in the language classroom is crucial to ensure instructors continue to grow as educators. The Handbook of Research on Language Teacher Identity addresses new developments in the field of language education affected by evolving learning environments and the shift from traditional teaching and assessment practices to the digital-age teaching, learning, and assessment. Ideal for industry professionals, administrators, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students, this book aims to raise awareness regarding reflective practice and continuous professional development of educators, collaborative teaching and learning, innovative ways to foster critical (digital) literacy, student-centered instruction and assessment, development of authentic teaching materials and engaging classroom activities, teaching and assessment tools and strategies, cultivation of digital citizenship, and inclusive learning environments.

This book presents the latest research on understanding language teacher identity and development for both novice and experienced researchers and educators, and introduces non-experts in language teacher education to key topics in teacher identity research. It covers a wide range of backgrounds, themes, and subjects pertaining to language teacher identity and development. Some of these include the effects of apprenticeship in doctoral training on novice teacher identity; the impacts of mid-career redundancy on the professional identities of teachers; challenges faced by teachers in the construction of their professional identities; the emerging professional identity of pre-service teachers; teacher identity development of beginning teachers; the role of emotions in the professional identities of non-native English speaking teachers; the negotiation of professional identities by female academics. Advances and Current Trends in Language Teacher Identity Research will appeal to academics in ELT/TESOL/applied linguistics. It will also be useful to those who are non-experts in language teacher education, yet still need to know about theories and recent advances in the area due to varying reasons including their affiliation to a teacher training institute; needs to participate in projects on language teacher education; and teaching a course for pre-service and in-service language teachers.

The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teacher Education provides an accessible, authoritative, comprehensive and up-to-date resource of English language teacher education. With an overview of historical issues, theoretical frameworks and current debates, this handbook provides unique insights into a range of teacher education contexts, focusing on key issues relating to teacher and learner priorities, language and communication, current practices, reflective practice, and research. Key features include: a cross-section of current theories, practices and issues, providing readers with a resource which can be used in a variety of contexts; the use of data, transcripts and tasks to highlight and illustrate a range of practices, including examples of ‘best practice’; ‘snapshots’ of ELTE from a number of contexts taken from all around the world; and examples of current technological advances, contemporary thinking on reflective practice, and insights gained from recent research. This wide-ranging and international collection of chapters has been written by leading experts in the field. The Routledge Handbook of English Language Teacher Education is sure to be core reading for students, researchers and educators in applied linguistics, TESOL and language education.

This book brings together the current theory, research and practical perspectives from different parts of the world on language teacher identity in an attempt to better understand the nature of identities teachers in different contexts develop. By linking theory to pedagogy, the book examines how second language teacher identities are shaped and explores the various links between teacher identities and variables that affect the formation of identities. Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity includes a foreword by Jack Richards (University of Sydney and RELC), an afterword by Peter de Costa (Michigan State University) and holds 20 invited chapters by established and active scholars and teacher educators to discuss the various aspects of in-service and pre-service second language teacher identity development. It also addresses the way the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted teacher identities and examines under-researched issues, such as the intersection between gender and race in second language teacher identity development and identity construction in second languages other than English. What does it mean to be a teacher of English as a second language in an age of globalization, new media, technological revolution and de-institutionalized knowledge? How do teachers gain pre-service and in-service expertise, a sense of professional identity, and educational integrity? And how have they dealt with the extra-burden imposed by the pandemic? This thought-provoking volume offers valuable perspectives on these important issues in the professional development of English teachers worldwide. — Prof. Claire Kramsch, University of California, Berkeley, USA. The way we see ourselves and are seen by others influences our social and professional interactions. Teacher identity and sense of agency is therefore not merely a matter of research interest for it impacts learners and learning, which makes the topic of this book extremely important. With chapters located in a wide range of countries – from USA to Australia via UAE, Thailand and others – and drawing on a variety of research methods, the book synthesizes extant research and develops many new research avenues. It does so not only with theory in mind but with practical lessons for teachers and teacher educators and thus becomes an essential volume for our libraries and studies. — Prof. Michael Byram, University of Durham, UK. In this compelling collection, co-edited by Karim Sadeghi and Farah Ghaderi, the authors address key questions about language teacher identity in contemporary applied linguistics: What is the relationship between language teacher identity and language teacher agency? To what extent does ideology impact language teacher identity? How do language teachers navigate an increasingly globalized and unequal world? Authors from different regions of the world draw on diverse methodologies to share insightful research on both pre-service and in-service language teacher identity, making an important contribution to applied linguistics and TESOL at a time of great social and educational change. — Prof. Bonny Norton (FRSC), University Killam Professor and Distinguished University Scholar, University of British Columbia, Canada. “Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity” captures recent thinking about language teacher identity. The broad array of excellent chapter contributions explores multiple dimensions of identity, from teacher agency and emotions to the disruptive effects of the Covid pandemic on teachers’ professional lives and practices. The studies draw on a number of theoretical perspectives and demonstrate the use of both familiar and innovative research methodologies. The relevant topics, the up-to-date bibliographic sources, and the useful research findings make this edited volume an essential addition to your bookshelf. — Prof. Gary Barkhuizen, University of Auckland, New Zealand.

The author examines who language teacher educators are in the field of language teaching and learning. This includes a description of the different types of language teacher educators working in a range of professional and institutional contexts, an analysis of the reflections of a group of experienced English teacher educators working in Colombia and enrolled in a doctoral program to continue their professional development, and an exposition of the work that language teacher educators do, particularly in the domains of pedagogy, research, and service and leadership (institutional and community). All of this is done with the aim of understanding the identities that language teacher educators negotiate and are ascribed in their working contexts. The author emphasizes the need for research to pay attention to the lives and work of language teacher educators, and offers forty research questions as an indication of possible future research directions.

Student and novice researchers may have a general idea for a topic they would like to research, but have a difficult time settling on a more specific topic and its associated research questions. Addressing this problem, this book features contributions from over thirty diverse and experienced research supervisors, mentors, and principal investigators in the field of language teacher education. The chapters are autobiographic in nature, with each contributing author reflecting on relevant, current and innovative research topics through the lens of their own professional life and research work. Offering explicit research topics and strategies for each area of expertise, this book will serve as a useful reference for the seasoned qualitative or narrative researcher, and a helpful guide for new researchers and teacher researchers narrowing down their own research topics.

This book presents empirical research on teaching, learning and assessment, and teacher development practices in Pakistan. Despite extensive academic research conducted in Pakistan over the last decade, there is a dearth of internationally published literature on English language teaching in the country. This book covers current research priorities and initiatives concerning English language teaching, learning and assessment, empirical developments, and major professional development initiatives, both in Pakistan and involving the work of Pakistani scholars based in abroad. It highlights the impacts that development efforts are having in the ELT world in Pakistan. The respective chapters cover a diverse range of topics, including: continuous professional development (CPD), identity construction, English language policy, curriculum development, and innovative ELT approaches and methodologies used in Pakistan. This volume provides valuable insights for TESOL and applied linguistics scholars and practitioners working in the field of ELT, both in Pakistan and elsewhere in the globalized world.