ERIC Number: EJ1410513
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0313-7155
EISSN: EISSN-1837-6290
'I'm in a Professional Twilight Zone': Exploring a Migrant Teacher's Professional Identities Construction in the UK
John Trent
Issues in Educational Research, v33 n4 p1601-1622 2023
This article reports the results of a qualitative study which explores the personal and professional identities construction journey of a migrant teacher of English as a second/additional language from Hong Kong, following her arrival in the United Kingdom. Grounded in a theory of language teacher identities and drawing upon Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of dialogue, the study uses narrative methods of inquiry to understand this migrant teacher's identities construction experiences. Findings suggest that a series of discursive struggles construct the meaning of the identity 'migrant teacher' and that these struggles manifest in multiple professional identities construction dilemmas for the teacher. The results contest the deficit positioning of migrant teachers, demonstrating how discursive forces can be marshalled in ways that create new and possibly hitherto unconsidered opportunities for their professional identities construction. Implications for policy makers, school leaders, and other teachers wishing to support migrant teachers are discussed and suggestions for future research considered.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Second Language Instruction, English (Second Language), Language Teachers, Migrants, Asians, Experienced Teachers, Literary Genres, Personal Narratives, Professional Identity, Career Guidance, Occupational Mobility, Language Skills, Teacher Attitudes
Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Inc. 5/202 Coode Street, Como, Western Australia 6152, Australia. e-mail: editor@iier.org.au; Web site: http://www.iier.org.au/iier.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom; Hong Kong
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A