Psychosocial Factors that Shape the Professional Identity Crisis in Prospective Language Teachers

This case study, framed in the Socio-critical paradigm and following a narrative approach, describes the role psychosocial factors play in shaping the professional identity crisis in a group of prospective teachers in the Language Teaching Program of a private university in Medellín, Colombia. We developed three data collection techniques to conduct this study. First, participants in the stage of professional practicum were to write a narrative about their first experiences as prospective language teachers. Our objective was to describe the psychosocial factors shaping the identity crisis. Then, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the intention of defining the role these factors play in shaping the crisis; and finally, a focus group with the objective of relating these psychosocial factors with the identity crisis. Findings revealed that prospective teachers perceive themselves very vulnerable to fail, they tend to avoid frustration and their lack of self-confidence inhibits their class performance. We also found that the lack of career guidance during high school years, the social status of the teaching profession, and the idealization of the teaching profession as well as the social conditions of school contexts, played an important role in shaping the identity crisis in our prospective teachers. We find it advisable for Language Teaching Programs to develop psychosocial support strategies that bring prospective teachers’ voices to be heard in favor of constructing strong and resilient identities able to respond to current school demands.

Download Full-text

Innowacyjność w edukacji językowej a profesjonalizm nauczyciela

Neofilolog ◽

10.14746/n.2018.51.1.3 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 28-41

Author(s):

Krystyna Droździał-Szelest

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Language Education ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽

Based Instruction ◽

Task Based Instruction ◽

Learning Language

Innovation in language education, just as in any other discipline, is connected with changes whose primary goal is to make the process of language learning/language teaching more efficient. Examples of such innovations include, for instance, task based instruction, computer assisted language learning or the use of portfolio as a means of assessment.Innovation implies a new, qualitatively different perception of the language learning/ language teaching process, roles of teachers and learners, use of materials etc., hence it is believed to constitute a challenge for language teachers and their professionalism. The present article is an attempt to answer the question whether and to what extent the language teaching profession is actually prepared to deal with innovation.

Download Full-text

A CONSTRUÇÃO DAS IDENTIDADES DOS PROFISSIONAIS DA EDUCAÇÃO

Colloquium Humanarum ◽

10.5747/ch.2018.v15.nesp2.001069 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (Especial 2) ◽

pp. 15-21

Author(s):

Alberto Albuquerque Gomes

Keyword(s):

Professional Identity ◽

Identity Crisis ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

Doctoral Training ◽

Initial Training ◽

Professional Identities ◽

Initial Formation ◽

Rapid Process ◽

The World

This article results from reflections during my post-doctoral training at the Lusophone University of Humanities and Technology, in Lisbon. I was intrigued that mechanisms or factors were decisive / decisive in the construction of the identity of the teaching profession. Here I present a small cut considering aspects related to the construction of professional identities. Among the questions that emerged from our reflection: what can be enumerated: 1. The enormous dispersion of courses and initial training is an important component, although it is not enough to explain the panorama of the identity crisis of teachers; 2. The low quality of the initial formation can attribute this inconsistency of the professional identity; 3. The indefinition of a field and an object of pedagogy contributes to this fragility; 4. We are faced with a rapid process of resizing the world of work where functions and roles undergo rapid transformations, characterizing the professions without the constitution of new identities

Download Full-text

NUEVAS IDENTIDADES EN LA FORMACIÓN DEL PROFESORADO: LA VOZ DEL ALUMNADO

International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology Revista INFAD de psicología ◽

10.17060/ijodaep.2014.n1.v7.819 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 487 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

José Ignacio Rivas Flores

Keyword(s):

Professional Identity ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

School Experience ◽

The Other ◽

The Core ◽

Fundamental Part ◽

The Social ◽

Teacher Students ◽

The University ◽

Short Termism

Abstract.I present in this paper the new identities that are forming among teacher students as a result of the changes that are taking place in the social, cultural, political and economic spheres. I start from research results that Procie group is conducting about the professional identity of teacher students in the University of Malaga. The research studies the stories of the school experience of freshmen and analyses what are the characteristics of this experience. Four axes are taking into account: the idealization of the figure of the teacher, the focus on tasks and routines, the core place of assessment and the emphasis on order and discipline in the classroom. From this experience, I deal what I call “ Sedimental knowledge.” This would be the knowledge about the teaching profession that is built by students at school because of their experience and it constitutes the sediment of professional knowledge. This will be a fundamental part in the building of their identity. On the other hand, takes into account the “neoliberal moral” working in the schools, being an important brick in the construction of a new identity, characterized by practical thinking, activism and short-termism. This represents a significant change from the Redemptorist identity proper from earlier times.Keywords: Identity, Teaching, School Experience, Professional Knowledge.Resumen.Presento en este trabajo las nuevas identidades que están formándose entre el alumnado del grado de primaria, como consecuencia de los cambios que están teniendo lugar en el ámbito social, cultural, político y económico. Parto de los resultados de la investigación que el grupo ProCie está realizando acerca de la identidad profesional de los estudiantes de primaria, en la Universidad de Málaga. La investigación aborda los relatos de la experiencia escolar de estudiantes de primer año y analiza cuales son las características de esta experiencia. Son cuatro ejes los que se tienen en cuenta: la idealización de la figura del docente, el foco en las tareas y las rutinas, el lugar central que ocupa la evaluación y el énfasis en el orden y la disciplina en el aula. A partir de esta experiencia se aborda lo que denominamos “conocimiento sedimental”. Este vendría a ser el conocimiento acerca de la profesión docente que se va construyendo por parte de los estudiantes en la escuela como consecuencia de su experiencia y que constituirá el sedimento de la conocimiento profesional. Este será parte fundamental en la construcción de su identidad. Por otro lado, se tiene en cuenta la “moral neoliberal” que funciona en las instituciones escolares, actuando de forma importante en la construcción de una nueva identidad, caracterizada por el pensamiento práctica, el activismo y el cortoplacismo. Esto representa un cambio importante respecto a la identidad redentorista propia de tiempos anteriores.Palabras Clave: Identidad, profesión docente, experiencia escolar, conocimiento profesional

Download Full-text

Between Two Worlds? Research Engagement Dilemmas of University English Language Teachers in Vietnam

RELC Journal ◽

10.1177/0033688219884782 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 003368821988478

Author(s):

Mai Trang Vu

Keyword(s):

English Language ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

Language Teachers ◽

English Language Teaching ◽

Self Awareness ◽

Research Engagement ◽

Practical Support ◽

External Pressures ◽

English Language Teachers

If enhancing the connection between teaching and research has been highlighted in the general English language teaching profession, does English teaching at university – the ivory tower characterized by research – face the same issue? And how might this affect how the profession is perceived? This study provides an in-depth examination of how university English language teaching (ELT) teachers conceptualize research and their doing research, and discusses the issue in connection with the notion of profession. The study uses teacher cognition semi-structured interviewing with faculty members teaching English at a university in Vietnam. The results show ELT faculty construct different versions of research to rationalize their attitudes, self-awareness, and practices: research as irrelevant impositions, research as desirable but unfeasible goals, and research as practical, inner calls. Revealing this group’s dilemmas between two worlds – practitioners and academics, external pressures and internal values, visions and realities, – the study argues that to increase research engagement, practical support is needed, but a reconceptualization of research is also an important factor. Also, understanding and realizing the teaching-research nexus in ELT hold implications for the profession’s status and the professional’s identity and autonomy.

Download Full-text

Understanding social justice commitment and pedagogical advantage of teachers with a migrant background in Switzerland: a qualitative study

Journal for Multicultural Education ◽

10.1108/jme-10-2021-0192 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Myriam Radhouane ◽

Abdeljalil Akkari ◽

Consuelo Guardia Macchiavello

Keyword(s):

Social Justice ◽

Professional Identity ◽

Teaching Practices ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Research Team ◽

Life Experiences ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

Content Type ◽

Migrant Background ◽

The Social

Purpose This study aims to understand the social justice commitment and the pedagogical advantage of teachers with a migrant background in Switzerland. Through semi-directive interviews with four of them, the research team analyses how these teachers use their background as a resource in their teaching practices. Linking their personal life experiences related to migration and schooling and their professional identity, results show that their history influences their teaching practices but moreover their commitment to social justice within school. Design/methodology/approach For this study, the authors conducted four semi-directive interviews with teachers with a migrant background. The research team transcribed all the interviews and analyzed them through Nvivo software. The analytical process followed the logic of content analysis as developed by Miles and Huberman (2003). The research team used several layers of categories and codes to produce a deeper understanding of the data. On this basis, the authors refined their categories and codes and created research memoranda including all the information to establish the profile of each teacher interviewed. Findings This study’s data showed that “teachers with a migrant background” is a broad category of individuals, all entering the teaching profession with their own life experiences, their own relation to diversity and their own personal background. It also showed that teachers with a migrant background seem committed to social justice in different ways. This relates to Mantel’s study (2021) that established three types of teachers with a migrant background. All of them developing a different pattern of commitment to social justice. Originality/value This study aimed at understanding teachers with a migrant background’s social justice commitment and pedagogical advantage in Switzerland (Canton of Geneva). If this field has been developed in North America, it is not well studied in Switzerland. Yet, the number of teachers with a migrant background is important in some part of the country and might be increasing in the next years. Exploring their potential is therefore a matter of representation and legitimation.

Download Full-text

Language teaching = Linguistic imperialism?

Australian Review of Applied Linguistics ◽

10.1075/aral.17.2.06muh ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 121-130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Peter Mühlhäusler

Keyword(s):

Language Teaching ◽

Ecological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Teaching Profession ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Language Ecology ◽

Linguistic Imperialism ◽

Ecological View

Abstract Linguistic imperialism is the expansion of a small number of privileged languages at the cost of a large number of others. The language teaching profession is a potential instrument of linguistic imperialism and needs to address the question of the ecological impact of language teaching and to take an ecological view of their profession. An ecological view focuses on areas such as the well being of the inhabitants of a language ecology, and the long term sustainability of the system. The principal task for language teachers as that of empowering their learners by giving them additional knowledge and skills and to cater for the learner’s needs rather than the short-term economic benefits of the teaching institution. Language teachers have to address the question of likely long term outcomes of their practices.

Download Full-text

LEARNING MATERIALS: THE “NUCLEUS” OF LANGUAGE TEACHING

Journal of English Education ◽

10.31327/jee.v3i1.417 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Desy Damayanti ◽

Adin Fauzi ◽

Azizatul Mahfida Inayati

Keyword(s):

Language Teaching ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Learning Materials ◽

Authentic Materials ◽

Authentic Texts ◽

Radio Broadcasting ◽

Language Classroom ◽

Level Of Understanding

Among some components of effective language classroom, learning materials indisputably play a focal role. They improve the quality of language teaching; facilitate teachers in doing their duties, and lead students to a higher level of understanding in learning. This research aims to discuss the notion of materials in language teaching. It made use of works of literature to outline the importance of materials in language teaching, and to analyze kinds of materials, which are relevant to language teaching. The analysis resulted in the classification of materials into two broad categories namely (1) created materials, which include course book, audio materials, and video materials; and (2) authentic materials, which cover authentic texts, movie/film, radio broadcasting, television program, graphs, maps, tables, and charts. This paper serves as an invaluable resource to facilitate language teachers in selecting appropriate materials for effective language teaching.

Download Full-text

Penerapan Pendekatan Kontruktivisme dalam Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia di SMP Negeri I Remboken

Kajian Linguistik ◽

10.35796/kaling.3.1.2015.9259 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Femmy Tresje Pelealu

Keyword(s):

Critical Thinking ◽

Learning Process ◽

Teaching Methods ◽

Language Teaching ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Development Model ◽

Strategy Model ◽

Bahasa Indonesia

This study is conducted in order to describe the development model ofconstructivistic teaching in Indonesian language for the sake of maximizing thestudents’ attitude in critical thinking. Operationally this study is done inorder to describe the concept and strategy model and the materials of constructivisticIndonesian language teaching developed by the teachers in SMP Negeri 1 Rembokenfor the sake of maximizing the students’ attitude in critical thinking. TheIndonesian language teachers’ concept on the planning and the conduction ofconstructivistic teaching related to what Indonesian language teaching is, howthe textbook and the materials are used, the purpose of Indonesian languageteaching is, the role of the teacher, the role of the students in the teachingand learning process, the use of teaching methods and media, and the procedureof the conduction of constructivistic Indonesian language teaching and learningprocess in the classroom, was not done by the teachers when they were observed.Their constructivistic teaching attitude is very minimal.

Download Full-text

Effect of the Covid-19 Italian lockdown on human health: the analysis of alcohol consumption for aware quarantine (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.25366 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chiara Mazzarella ◽

Annamaria Spina ◽

Marcello Dallio ◽

Antonietta Gerarda Gravina ◽

Mario Romeo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Abuse ◽

Psychosocial Factors ◽

Alcohol Drinking ◽

Psychosocial Support ◽

Human Life ◽

Stressful Event ◽

Drinking Behaviour ◽

Drinking Habits ◽

Specific Subset

BACKGROUND Italy has been one of the first western countries seriously involved in the COVID-19 pandemic in the first months of 2020 and so that the national government was forced to impose a long lockdown period, stopping all the people aggregation outdoor and indoor activities. From a social point of view this period of domestic confinement resulted in deep changes of behaviours and lifestyles, promoting in many people the onset of psychological symptoms and signs (including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and irritability among others) already known as associated with drug and alcohol abuse OBJECTIVE this study aims to assess the variation of alcohol drinking habits in a sample of Italian citizens during the COVID-19 lockdown and to identify the psychosocial factors surrounding it, in order to assess the specific subset of the population that could need psychosocial support during these events METHODS An online anonymous questionnaire was created and submitted from 9th April 2020 to 28th April 2020 using social medias and e-mails. Questions were related to personal details such as age, work, instruction, and, moreover, to alcohol drinking habits during the lockdown, including Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT C) test questions RESULTS A total of 1234 surveys were filled out by subjects with an age range from 18 to 80 years old. An increase in both anxiety and fear has been detected in most of the participants (63% and 61% respectively) with a direct (r=0.652; p<0.001) relationship between them. Participants older than 50 years showed the strongest correlation between alcohol consumption, fear, and anxiety, (r=0.830, P <0.001 and r=0.741, P<0.001, respectively). Subjects living alone experienced a stronger association between anxiety, fear, and higher level of alcohol consumption (r: 0.529; P<0.001; r: 0.628, P<0.001 respectively). Moreover, 18% of participants increased alcohol consumption drinking during the lockdown. These subjects showed a lower frequency of alcohol consumption before the lockdown in comparison to the rest of the study population (2.5±0.96 vs 3±1.03, P<0.0001 respectively). Moreover, comparing the abovementioned groups, the percentage of subjects who experienced higher alcohol assumption before the 11th of March was higher in those that didn't change their drinking behaviour during the lockdown in comparison to that portion of them that experienced a worsening of alcohol abuse (r: 30.422, P<0.0001) CONCLUSIONS according to these data, during the Italian lockdown due to COVID 19 pandemic, different kind of people experienced an increase in alcohol drinking. Several psychosocial factors are involved in determining the increase in harmful alcohol consumption during this extraordinary stressful event and they must be addressed by the healthcare support in order to avoid awful lockdown impact on human life

Download Full-text