An Interactive Model of Teachers’ professional identity formation

1. An Interactive Model of Teachers’ professional identity formation The Workshop on Identity and Subjectivity 29 July, 2008 Deakin University Russell Tytler, Patricia Henry, Iris Yi-shin Liou School of Education Faculty of Arts and Education Deakin University

2. Research question • How do the notions of ‘English as a Lingua Franca’ interact with Non-native speaking English teachers’ professional identity?

3. English as a Lingua Franca and Teachers’Professional Identity • The changed definition of teaching competence has the potential to redefine the role, contribution and position of NNS teachers in the TESOL profession. • This change will impact on teachers’ sense of professionalism, their self-image, and their perception of teaching competence. These are essential components of teachers’ professional identity (PI).

4. Using Combined Research methods • Questionnaire survey: for generating a broader view of teachers’ perception of their teaching job and their beliefs in teaching English. questionnaires were sent to 337 tertiary English teachers in greater Taipei area. 126 responded (37.3%)

5. Using Combined Researchmethods In-depth interviews : to understand teachers’ perception and responses to the spread of EIL and changed definition of their teaching competence. 28 participants were interviewed.

6. How to decode the data? • Teachers’ professional identity is shaped by their social interactions within their professional contexts • An interactive model of professional identity formation and EIL : how the concepts of EIL compete with the forces shaping teachers’ professional identity?

7. The interactive model The four sites of PI formation: • Personal initial education • Micro-social interactions • Interactions with Institutional powers • Macro-social interactions (from PI literature) 4 3 2 1

8. The notion of ELF and the competing forces of PI formation The four sites of PI formation: • Personal initial education • Micro-social interactions • Interactions with Institutional powers • Macro-social interactions 4 3 2 1 EIL

9. Teachers’ initial education • Most of the teachers were English majors. Their rich exposure to the refined and formal language in English literature has formed a strong force against the concepts of EIL. • Teacher identity as an English teacher: A good command of standard English will enhance teachers’ sense of value in their professional identity. • Teacher identity as an English user: They became more relaxed about their personal use of English.

10. Micro-social Interactions with students and colleagues • Students’ preferences in learning standard English has reinforced teachers’ belief in teaching standard English. Teachers’ may want to prove themselves to be competent in native-speakers’ English. • From comparison with NS teacher colleagues, in NNS teachers’ view having language proficiency is just one among many criteria to be a good English teacher. Yet it does not mean that a good command of English is not important to them.

11. Interactions with institutional powers Taiwanese Ministry of Education and English departments’ promotions of GEPT / TOEIC English proficiency test can be a strong force against EIL. These tests are based on the norm of American English. The liberal ideas of EIL may not help students much in the tests.

12. Macro-social interaction with the society The anxiety of learning English in the society: English is not the language used for local communication, but people want to have a good command of English. In teachers’ perception, they were expected to be expert in native speakers’ English. EIL may not help much in enhancing teachers’ sense of value in this particular social context.

13. Conclusion • Teachers’ professional identity is one of the major variables that determines the success of new teaching ideologies or methodologies. Subject competence is essential to NNS English teachers’ professional identity. Teachers will resist change if they see it as a threat to their professional role; on the contrary, teachers will support change if they see it will enhance their value and their professional identity.

14. Identity elaborated • Subject competence is important. While the definition of the subject is contested, standard English is necessary to be considered competent. • Through comparing self with NS teachers, NNS teachers defined a pedagogical competence that was important to their professional identity.