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The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language		 search

Disrupted English Language Teacher Identities: A Social Justice Perspective

May 2024 – Volume 28, Number 1

https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28109s4

Sibel Söğüt
Sinop University, Türkiye
<ssogutatmarksinop.edu.tr>

Abstract

Informed by Huber’s (2021) framework of critical ethnography from a social justice perspective, this study aimed to (a) figure out how language teachers struggle for equity embedded within their socio-cultural contexts of schooling; (b) examine the micro, meso, and macro-factors affecting their identities with the impact of dominating ideologies; (c) uncover how they position themselves in challenging such practices and constraints. This study employs an exploratory qualitative case study design and an inductive data analysis method to document the voices of two in-service and three pre-service English language teachers and two teacher educators as professionals in K-12 school settings in Türkiye. The study addressed how ideologies stemming from power, authority, and institutional structures shape their ongoing teacher identity formation. As a result, language educators referred to oppression stemming from imposed decisions, decontextualized in-service and pre-service teacher training practices, and limited space for decision-making. Bringing in a social justice orientation, this study documented language educators’ ways of challenging the dominant ideologies and schooling practices. This research brought voices from various layers to provide a composite picture of the potential gap(s) between their practice contexts and initial and in-service teacher-training practices.

Keywords: Teacher identity formation, Dominant ideologies, Teacher training, Socio-cultural contexts of schooling, Social justice

Global and local changes in educational contexts and changing political and authoritarian decisions have disrupted language teachers’ identity construction. Language teacher identity and social justice in sociopolitical contexts are shaped by neo-nationalist discourses (Yazan et al., 2023) and field experiences (Siuty, 2019). The pedagogical decisions of language teachers are, in turn, informed by their professional identities, which are shaped by the sociopolitical context (De Costa & Norton, 2017). Teacher identity is closely linked to perceived attributions of effective teachers, their potential impacts, responsibilities, and stances on what being a good teacher entails (Lauwo et al., 2022). The formation of teacher identity and theory of teacher education is conceptualized and closely linked to the social justice perspective (Cochran-Smith, 2010; Huber, 2021; Mansouri, 2021; Reagan & Hambacher, 2021; Rudolph et al., 2019, among others). Based on the post-structural perspective, teacher identity formation is considered an ever-changing, situational, and language-based process since teachers navigate various societal, cultural, linguistic, professional, religious, and educational contexts in positioning themselves in their profession (Rudolph et al., 2019).

Teacher identity represents “a key source of agency for social change” (Morgan, 2017, p. 206). From a social justice perspective, the development of teachers as agents of change is significant (Pantić, 2017). The conceptualization of teacher education for social justice entails “assisting educators in critiquing the larger socio-cultural, political dimensions of teaching and schooling” (Wiedeman, 2002, p. 200). Nevertheless, social, political, and economic structures constrain teacher identity development and generate inequalities (Lauwo et al., 2022). Dominant ideologies remain deeply embedded within school professionals’ communities of practice (Siuty, 2019). Contextual discourse and power relations substantially impact language teachers’ identity construction (Nazari & Karimpour, 2022). Dominant ideologies in the school context have a substantial impact on the construction and reconstruction of teacher identity (Mansouri, 2021; Rudolph et al., 2019; Toköz-Göktepe & Kunt, 2021; Yaylı, 2014). As a consequence of these impacts, the identity positioning of language teachers is continually evolving due to a combination of their personal experiences and the prevailing ideologies within their social environments (Mansouri, 2021). Systemic constraints could yield limited opportunities to challenge inequity and transform their workspaces (Siuty, 2019). The multi-faceted and multi-layered variables necessitate embracing a critical overview of these constraints. The process of challenging prevailing ideological structures within education represents a challenging and ongoing task that requires active and continuous examination of curriculum, methods, and educational practices (Huber, 2021).

Language teacher education, encompassing both pre-service and professional development programs, serves as a crucial platform to challenge conventional beliefs surrounding language (Potts & Cutrim-Schmid, 2022). Cultivating teacher identity development is significant since language teachers become catalysts of transformation, acting against the (re)production of oppressive ideas (Reagan & Hambacher, 2021). Thus, there is a pressing need to document language educators’ lived experiences and perspectives. The examination of their identity formation could reveal insights into how ideologies stemming from power, authority, and institutional structures shape their ongoing identity construction. Addressing this multi-faceted picture, this study provides a triadic examination of the identity construction of pre-service teachers, teacher educators, and in-service teachers. This study specifically addresses factors influencing language teacher identity disrupted through ongoing dominant ideologies, policy changes, and uncertainties prevailing in language education contexts.

Literature Review

Language Teacher Identity

Previous seminal work has highlighted variables and influential factors on the language teacher identity construction. Institutional practices, constraints, resources, and other people in their contexts were found to impact the professional identity of language teachers (Cohen, 2008). Institutional restrictions and imposed policies in the school context were found to hinder their autonomy and agentive initiatives and yield conflicts for the teachers’ interpersonal and institutional identities (Karimpour et al., 2023). The school’s top-down system created conflicts for the teachers concerning their internal understandings and the multi-faceted identities they adopted (Nazari & Karimpour, 2022). Additionally, inadequate support and preparation in teacher training contexts create tensions in teachers’ professional identity construction (Flores & Day).

Previous research highlighted a variety of challenges in pre-service teachers’ identity formation (Kayi-Aydar, 2015). Specifically, cognitive, social, and emotional changes were found to influence their refinement and negotiation of professional identities (Yuan & Lee, 2015). These changes and their disorientation due to the lack of exposure to the realities of the classroom may hinder their professional identity development (Yuan & Lee, 2015). Another critical element was found to be the role of mentoring since the identity formation of pre-service teachers was disrupted by negative mentoring during the teaching practicum (Yuan, 2016). Using Bamberg’s (1997) three-level positioning theory, Mansouri (2021) examined the construction and examination of EFL teacher identity. The analysis of narrative journals and interviews showed personal ideologies and their involvement in their social context impact their varying levels of positioning. Further, the teachers were found to have their own interpretations of the surrounding social context. Their positionings were shaped by personal experiences, ideologies, available ideologies, and dynamic interactions in their settings.

From a social justice perspective, Reagan and Hambacher (2021) reviewed peer-reviewed studies published between 1999 and 2019 that explicitly address teacher preparation and/or learning to teach for social justice. They documented redundancies, tensions, and gaps, which are mostly presented as short-term opportunities, including specific assignments, individual courses, or discrete field-based experiences. They further proposed the investigation of rejecting the status quo and challenging oppressive structures and systems at a macro-level as central to their work.

Prior studies examined the case of teacher identity and agency within the Turkish socio-political context (Yaylı, 2014; Yazan et al., 2023) and pre-service EFL teachers’ identity construction (Kılıç & Cinkara, 2020; Taşdemir & Seferoğlu, 2022). Neo-nationalist discourses that center on conservatism, cultural differences, and discrimination against refugees were found to influence teachers’ pedagogical choices and practices (Yazan et al., 2023). These discourses lead to teachers’ delayed identity formation (Toköz-Göktepe & Kunt, 2021). The negative impacts arise from restrictions in the teacher training programs,  mentorship, and limitations on classroom materials (Toköz-Göktepe & Kunt, 2021). In previous research, the experiences of two university-level English language teaching professionals in identity construction through narrative inquiries (Rudolph et al., 2019). They noted that linguistic, cultural, ethnic, national, geographical, historical, political, academic, professional, and gendered borders co-influence identity construction. Different from these influential elements, pre-service teachers’ professional identity was constructed in and out of the classroom and was deeply entrenched in critical incidents they had as EFL learners (Kılıç & Cinkara, 2020).

Previous research in the Turkish EFL context examined factors impacting the identity construction of EFL teachers and their way of dealing with issues stemming from their own and their students’ multiple identities (Yaylı, 2014). They referred to students’ Turkish and Islamic identities as the dominant identities. The qualitative content analysis of the survey and interview data of EFL teachers showed that participants formulated specific approaches to address their students’ identity crises, which particularly emerged when students encountered class materials that conflicted with their personal beliefs. These findings relate to the relationship between learners and teacher identity. Learner investment at the level of classroom interaction (micro) is valued by the school (meso) and society (macro) dimensions (De Costa & Norton, 2017).

In a recent study, Toköz-Göktepe and Kunt (2021) examined the evolution of teacher identity formation of a pre-service teacher in a longitudinal case study through reflective narratives, teaching diary entries, observation notes, and interviews. They revealed that the process of teacher identity formation occurred in three phases: imagined teacher identity, the negotiation between expectations and reality, and the emergence of a practiced teacher identity. In a similar context, the identities of pre-service teachers were found to be shaped by their language proficiency, subject-specific expertise, and contextual awareness (Taşdemir & Seferoğlu, 2022). Further, a shift from personal to institutional viewpoints was documented. Pre-service language teachers related their identity to mastering language-related skills, teacher-oriented qualities, and focusing on the needs of the learners. Building on the previous research, this study is centered on the multi-faceted nature of language teacher identity construction. This study is rooted in the co-influence of several factors, including classroom dynamics, school context, dominant ideologies, and wider socio-cultural context.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the study is centered on the identity perspective of the transdisciplinary framework by The Douglas Fir Group (DFG, 2016). According to this framework, language teacher identity is conceptualized focusing on micro, meso, and macro-level dimensions. Micro-level dimension refers to classroom-level variables that pertain to using cognitive and emotional capacities in particular contexts of interaction and action. These are situated in meso-level factors entailing “institutions, communities, conditions, and possible identities provide or restrict access to particular types of social experiences” (DFG, 2016, p. 24). Macro-level structures relate to “large-scale, society-wide ideological structures with particular orientations toward language use and language learning (including belief systems and cultural, political, religious, and economic values)” (DFG, 2016, p. 24). These dimensions that are interwoven determine how language teacher identities are situated in certain dominant ideologies, institutional constraints, and classroom contexts (De Costa & Norton, 2017). In the current study, this framework enabled the presentation of the interconnectedness of these dimensions and gained a critical and insightful understanding of factors contributing to language teacher identity formation.

The framework informing the methodology of this research was centered on critical classroom ethnography at the intersection of social justice orientation. This study has been informed by Huber’s (2021) framework of critical classroom ethnography from a social justice perspective. This perspective argues that social justice pedagogy aims to challenge and disrupt the traditional norms of curriculum, methods, and institutional practices (Huber, 2021). Accordingly, it is noted that

[S]ocial justice is a process of identifying micro and macro practices that support and maintain ideological systems that function to directly or indirectly ignore, dismiss, exclude, or oppress particular groups of people while simultaneously strategizing ways to interrupt, subvert, and transform such practices (Huber, 2021, p. 8).

Based on this framework, the researcher, as a critical ethnographer, “disrupts the status quo and unsettles both neutrality and taken-for-granted assumptions by bringing to light underlying and obscure operations of power and control” (Madison, 2020, p. 4). Thus, an insider perspective was adopted to uncover the stances of language educators and their positioning themselves to disrupt dominant ideologies. Further, this perspective can reveal how they challenge existing constraints stemming from systemic policy changes and engender language teachers’ professional identity in their pedagogical practices and institutional structures. This framework enabled examining and documenting language educators’ voices and their way of subverting and resisting the status quo and transforming their professional identity to challenge dominating ideologies (Huber, 2021, pp. 22-61).

The Study

This study aims to delve into the identity formation of language educators and the challenges faced. Specifically, this research aims to (a) uncover the struggles of language teachers embedded within their school environments and (b) document how dominant ideologies, policy changes, and uncertainties prevalent in language education contexts affect identity construction. Based on this scope, the following research questions are addressed:

  1. How do language educators at different segments of language education conceptualize their identities in the socio-cultural contexts of schooling?
  2. What are micro and macro-factors affecting their professional identities with the impact of dominating ideologies?
  3. In what ways do language educators position themselves to challenge oppression stemming from power and frame constraints in their socio-cultural contexts?

Method

Research Design

In this study, Huber’s (2021) framework of critical ethnography from a social justice perspective informed the methodology of the research. This study incorporated phenomenology as part of “…the nature or meaning (essences and essentials) of every day or significant experiences” (Saldaña, 2021, p. 495) of language educators. Inductive data analysis was used to reveal the multi-faceted nature of language educators’ identity development. This research design was chosen to systematically gain insights into language educators’ experiences of identity construction within the realm of power, authority, and institutional structures in times of uncertainty. Inductive data analysis steps (Moustakas, 1994; Saldaña, 2021) were followed through the examination and identification of emerging codes and themes via initial and focused coding procedures. Bringing in a social justice orientation, several data collection sources were triangulated, including teaching philosophy statements, teaching journals, field notes in ethnographic observations, and survey questions.

The Researcher’s Positionality

As a researcher and English language teacher educator, I feel deeply committed to bringing a perspective of social justice orientation to all levels of language education. In the context of the study, I have a role of collaboration in classroom observations and interactions with mentor teachers, university supervisors, and pre-service teachers. In this study, the positionality of voices was used as a researcher position, which “…carry forward indigenous meanings and experiences that are in opposition to dominant discourses and practices” (Fine, 1994, p. 17). Thomas (1993) asserts critical ethnographers should use their positions to provoke social consciousness and change (p. 4). Thus, an insider perspective has been adopted to bring alternative ways of meaning-making (Huber, 2021). This perspective enabled an initial understanding and positioning of the essence of phenomena through teachers’ experiences. As part of the subjectivity, I bracketed my pre-understanding and experiences on the phenomenon by taking notes of idiosyncratic and context-specific experiences of language teachers involved in the study. In this meaning-making perspective, I adopted the idiographic approach (Hopkins et al., 2017), focusing on language teachers’ particular experiences in their specific context. To eliminate the potential researcher bias, I triangulated data with several data collection instruments. The participating language educators were informed about the scope of the study, and they were assured that their responses would remain confidential. To achieve this, I assigned pseudonyms in the data analysis and documentation of the findings.

Context

This study was carried out in a pre-service English language teacher training context in Türkiye during the teaching practicum. The context of this study is two-fold: (a) a pre-service English language teacher training program, and (b) a religious high school called Imam-Hatip High School. Throughout their tertiary level education, pre-service English language teachers take courses centered on ELT subjects, including teaching language skills, language acquisition, curriculum development, and coursebook evaluation. They also enrolled in elective and compulsory courses focusing on pedagogical and cultural knowledge, including educational psychology, assessment and evaluation, media literacy, learning disabilities, and comparative education. This study was carried out throughout the teaching practicum course of one semester, consisting of 12 weeks.

In Türkiye, pre-service teacher training is carried out by three main stakeholders: teacher educators in a teacher education program at a state university, in-service teachers, and school administrators working in cooperation to enable the smooth transition of pre-service teachers to their first year of teaching. The structure of practicum in English language teacher education programs in Türkiye consists of complementary stages carried out in the fall and spring semesters. They spend six hours at the schools during 12 weeks in each semester. In the fall semester, they carry out classroom observations followed by six weeks of in-class teaching. In the spring semester, they perform practice teaching and peer observations in authentic classroom contexts. In each practicum experience, they hold critical feedback sessions with their mentor teacher and university supervisor. The pre-service teachers involved in the study carried out their teaching practicum at an Imam-Hatip high school, which is conceptualized differently from other high schools due to their institutional structure, curriculum, and stakeholders. The number of compulsory English classes per week is 2 hours for 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th-year students. These schools provide religious courses, including Islamic theology, Prophetic biography and traditions, and the history of religions. They also deliver regular courses, including literature, philosophy, sciences, visual arts, and foreign languages. Türkiye has undergone a shift to right-wing political discourse, which has recently popularized the expansion and dissemination of these schools. Based on the statistical data of the student population announced by the Ministry of National Education (MoNE), out of the 6,543,599 students in secondary education, 617,278 attended religious vocational high schools. The pre-service English language teachers in this study carried out in-class English as a foreign language lessons for 12 weeks during the 2022-2023 spring semester.

Participants

The participants of this study consist of a triadic representation of English language teaching professionals in a Turkish educational context. Three in-service teachers (ISTs) of the English language and two teacher educators (TEs) were involved in the study to present the multi-dimensional and multi-layered picture of dominant ideologies influencing their identity development. Three pre-service English language teachers (PSTs) enrolled at the Department of English Language Education participated in the study to uncover the positioning and dynamics of their ongoing identity construction. The characteristics of these participants are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Demographic information and characteristics of participants

Participant Pseudonym Age Gender Experience
(years)		 Education
level		 Degree Level of
teaching		 Grade level
IST1* Aysel 45 Female 21 years MA ELT A1-A2 Imam Hatip H S
IST2 Funda 35 Female 12 years BA ELT A1-A2 Secondary School
PST1** Reyhan 22 Female Less than 1 year BA student ELT A1-A2 Imam Hatip H S
PST2 Adem 23 Male Less than 1 year BA student ELT A1-A2 Imam Hatip H S
PST3 Esma 23 Female Less than 1 year BA student ELT A1-A2 Imam Hatip H S
TE1*** Selen 35 Female 12 years Ph.D. ELT B1-C1 Higher Education
TE2 Derya 35 Female 10 years Ph.D. ELT B1-C1 Higher Education

*In-service Teacher; **Pre-service Teacher; ***Teacher Educator

The participants involved in the study were from varying ages (22-45), years of teaching experience (months to 21 years), education level (BA-Ph.D.), level of teaching (A1-C1), and grade level (secondary-higher education). This variation enabled the development and understanding of their voices in constructing their identities. Before the data collection phase, the participants were informed about the scope and purpose of the study. For the confidentiality of the research and anonymity of the responses, pseudonyms were used to analyze the data and document the findings.

Data Collection

This study uses multiple data collection sources over 12 weeks. These sources are field notes of the researcher in participant observation, survey questions, teaching philosophy statements, observation forms (peer and teacher observation), and teaching journal entries. These data collection tools are illustrated in Table 2.

Table 2. Data collection tools

Stages Data source Participants
1 Field notes of the researcher in participant observation PSTs, TEs, and ISTs
2 Teaching philosophy statements PSTs
3 Teaching journal entries PSTs
4 Observation (peer and teacher) forms PSTs
5 Survey questions TEs and ISTs

The first data collection tool was a collection of my field notes in participant observation during the teaching practicum. The initial stage of the data collection procedure started with observation as part of my insider position as the researcher. Field notes were taken in these ethnographic observations of the researcher during the teaching practicum. The prompts used in the field notes included school atmosphere, classroom environment, student-teacher interaction in the observed classes, and mentor teacher-pre-service teacher interaction. This observation and note-taking stage enabled gaining further insights into participants’ voices in their identity construction, expectations, and practices in their specific pedagogical context.

The second data collection was teaching journal entries of PSTs. Four self-reflection entries upon the completion of in-class teaching practices by each PST. They were asked to reflect on their feelings, perceived implementation of lesson outcomes, challenging, in/effective parts, factors influencing their classroom interaction and management, proposed suggestions, and expected changes for future classes. Self-reflection journal entries also included a description of their teaching experience with a metaphor, which aimed at expressing abstract or complex concepts vividly. They were also asked to share one unforgettable moment in their teaching practice.

The third data collection tool was the teaching philosophy statements of PSTs. They were asked to share their teaching philosophy statements based on structured prompts. These prompts were informed by the conceptualization of social justice-oriented critical classroom ethnography by Huber (2021) and constituents of the critical ethnography research paradigm proposed by Madison (2020, pp. 32-49). The prompts aimed to reveal (a) perceptions of their roles as English language teachers in promoting equity and social justice within their socio-cultural context of schooling, (b) their guiding principles or values inform their teaching practice as English language teachers, particularly in challenging oppressive ideas and practices, (c) their descriptions of positioning themselves to challenge oppressive practices and constraints as an English language teacher. The teaching philosophy statements enabled the examination of their positioning in authentic classroom contexts.

The last data collection tool was a survey. Upon gaining familiarity with the context, participants, and ongoing practices, the survey was administered to in-service teachers and teacher educators. The rationale behind using these questions was to understand how they position themselves in their classroom teaching. Another reason was to focus on their local and wider educational context and possible underlying elements in their positioning. The questions were formed following categories of description, structural, and contrast questions suggested by Madison (2020, pp. 37-39) to document macro and micro-level factors, including dominant ideologies, contextual constraints, institutional practices, and policies. The description questions (e.g., how they describe their experiences about the factors influencing their teacher identity) were formulated to elicit their specific experiences during the school practicum. Structural questions were formed to elicit contextual information from the participants to delve into underlying elements and rationales, whereas contrast questions were formed to describe the distinctive features of a specific teaching experience. These questions focused on the elicitation of how power dynamics, authority, and institutional structures influence their identity formation. They also addressed their vision for challenging and transforming dominant ideologies and oppressive schooling practices.

Data Analysis

The data analysis for this study employed several qualitative data collection tools to conduct a thematic analysis, aiming to uncover overarching themes and present a comprehensive set of findings. From an emic perspective, teaching philosophy statements, teaching journal entries, field notes in ethnographic observations, and survey questions were used. In the study, inductive data analysis steps (Creswell & Poth, 2018; Moustakas, 1994; Saldaña, 2021; Vagle, 2018) were pursued by carrying out a structural and textural description with the analysis and identification of codes and themes via initial and focused coding procedures.

To maintain the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants, all names have been changed to pseudonyms in the analysis and presentation of the data. In the initial stage of the data analysis, data were curated in a Word document. The raw data was read several times by writing memo notes next to the extracts. Throughout this reading process, repetitive and noticeable patterns were annotated. In the second round of the analysis, each memo was assigned a descriptive label. This stage enabled figuring out tentative ideas for the codes. Then, the extracts were reviewed for an initial classification of the codes. This stage was followed by grouping the codes thematically and forming themes. A sample extract, identified codes, and themes were presented in Table 3.

Table 3. A sample extract, identified codes, and themes

Raw data Memo notes and preliminary codes Final codes Themes
In my current context, we have a huge population of refugee students, so my priority is not always teaching a foreign language but teaching manners. Plus, my headmaster doesn’t always encourage me as a language teacher. Moreover, my colleagues are not open to sharing. They want to do their job as easily as possible; I mean, they don’t want to focus on the quality of education. Refugee sts-setting priorities in the class, setting pedagogical priorities beyond teaching English

School authority, colleagues influencing her teacher identity

A feeling of isolation

 Inclusiveness as an element of teacher identity

Workplace restrictions (school principal, colleagues)

A personal initiative for quality education

 Conceptualization of teacher identity

Experienced challenges

Positioning herself in challenging constraints

Last, the themes were reported and phenomenological interpretations of the themes were documented. These data analysis stages are presented in Figure 1.


Figure 1. Data analysis stages

Exemplars revealed from the data set were used to elicit a contextualization of themes and illustrate the experiences of language educators. My approach to creating meaningful critical classroom ethnographic work is to utilize exemplars from my data that best illustrate the findings and contextualize examples. These examples are also embedded within my own experiences; thus, I aim to be transparent about my perspective as a researcher throughout the analysis process. This study is limited to the reflections of a small number of participants from an underrepresented context in Türkiye. This study has been situated on the advancement of the work on dominant ideologies influencing language teachers’ identity re/construction as an illustrative example of micro, meso, and macro-level dimensions in their educational context.

Findings

In this section, the findings identified from several data collection instruments are intertwined. Each of these findings contributes to our understanding of language teacher identity formation. These findings are presented across three levels: (a) language teachers’ conceptualization of teacher identity within their socio-cultural contexts of schooling; (b) micro, meso, and macro-factors affecting the formation of their identities with the impact of dominating ideologies; (c) the way(s) of positioning themselves in challenging such practices and constraints.

Language Educators’ Conceptualization of Teacher Identity

Teacher educators’ conceptualization of their professional identity. The findings regarding language educators’ conceptualization of their teacher identities showed that they reported a struggle for equity embedded within their socio-cultural contexts of schooling. To start with, teacher educators foregrounded their role in cultivating social justice in their educational contexts. For example, Selen referred to the differences among students with diverse language- cultural, and ethnic backgrounds in her classroom:

I live in an environment where students from very different ethnicities, languages, and cultures live together. Sometimes, students who have difficulty even understanding Turkish and who grew up with minimal opportunities in a very low-income city in the east, and students with strong social interaction who live in the heart of a very modern and developed city in the west receive English instruction in the same classroom…(Selen-TE).

In this extract, Selen, a teacher educator, highlighted the complex diversity and disparities in the linguistic and ethnic backgrounds of her students. She described the contrasting environments from which her students come, and she noted challenges that arise due to these differences. She further related these differences to inclusiveness and equity in her classroom as follows:

I see a much more positive environment in my classes, consisting of individuals who embrace differences. The important thing is to eliminate the language barrier or show cultural differences as an achievement and a positive contribution and try to feel this. (Selen-TE).

Selen highlighted how she eliminates challenges faced in creating an inclusive and equitable educational environment. She specifically noted cultivating a positive mindset among her students by embracing cultural diversity. She reflected a pedagogical viewpoint rooted in equity and inclusion in her classes. Different from Selen, Derya emphasized the prominent impacts of students, regulations, directives, rules, obligations, and administrative background on her teacher identity. She noted the interplay among these elements in her teacher identity formation. These elements address micro-level constructs and their relationship to wider meso and macro-level variables in their contexts.

The most important factors that make up my teaching are first of all my experiences and then my professional identity. The teachers I look up to while creating my identity, their educational styles, their world views… My experiences are; my students, my communication with them… In addition, my administrative background (I worked as a deputy director and department head for 5 years.) How I should approach the education process, the window I see the students, regulations, directives, that is, rules and obligations. None of these are inseparable from each other in forming my identity as a teacher. (Derya-TE).

In this excerpt, Derya touched upon the interplay among her experiences, roles, interactions with students, and administrative background, which all contributed to her overall identity as a teacher. This interplay relates to her grounds and connections between her professional identity in the classroom and school context. This suggests an ongoing process of learning and adaptation in response to various teaching philosophies and styles.

Pre-service teachers’ conceptualization of their professional identity. The results obtained from PSTs’ self-reflections and teaching journal entries showed that their identity formation was centered on a dynamic relationship among students, their affective factors, and their achievement of expected goals in the in-class teaching experiences. These factors were found to have facilitative and debilitative impacts on their teacher identity. The following extract shows that PSTs began to frame their conceptualization of teacher identity; they saw themselves as individuals first, and as teachers second:

This week, my lesson in the classroom was like a wing because it took me above the clouds. Actually, for a long time, I thought that teaching was not a suitable profession for me because I am not energetic and determined to be a good teacher. These wings took me from a dark well and lifted me above the clouds, increasing my faith in myself. (Reyhan-PST).

In this extract, Reyhan compared her lesson to “wings” that have taken her “above the clouds”. This metaphor suggests that her classroom experience had a profound transformative impact on her teacher identity and cultivated confidence in her teaching practice. Reflecting on classroom teaching, pre-service teachers directly associated student-centeredness as a way of shaping their identity. Specifically, Reyhan reported debilitating impacts of classroom management on her teacher identity, as exemplified below:

I struggled with providing instructions, motivating students to participate in the session, and being energetic during the lesson. I can liken my lesson to a thick rope because it took my wings and lifted me above the clouds last week and pulled me back into a deep, dark well. Because of this lesson, my faith in myself was slightly damaged. (Reyhan-PST).

Acknowledging the encountered difficulties, Reyhan reported challenges in providing clear instructions and maintaining students’ motivation and interest. Along with the previous metaphor (i.e., wings), she indicated the idea of ups and downs in her teaching journey. Esma also foregrounded establishing a connection between students’ willingness and motivation to learn the language and her increasing motivation and sense of belonging to the profession.

I had good students that are willing, and we created a bond between us, I felt like a real teacher as they even wanted more lessons from us for their empty hours. (Esma-PST).

In this extract, she reported how building a strong teacher-student relationship and students’ desire for additional lessons enhanced her successful teaching experience. She further reported embracing the roles of a teacher in task management and implementation, whereas she isolated herself from this role when she encountered fluctuations throughout the sequences of the lesson. Reyhan specifically stated:

My lesson may be likened to a balloon I used in my lesson since it appeared to be a wonderful balloon at first, and everything seemed acceptable, but after the lesson, owing to a few flaws with the activity I did, I suddenly missed the balloon, and it soared into the sky. (Reyhan-PST).

In this reflection, Reyhan relates the balloon metaphor to capturing the initial engagements and interest, followed by unexpected challenges and a sense of things getting out of control in her teaching practice. The metaphor wing, a thick rope, and a balloon indicate ups and downs in identity development and illustrate the grounds and connections between her identity development and classroom management and in-class teaching dynamics. Reyhan’s reflections relate to micro-level classroom aspects involving teaching and learning practices.

In-service teachers’ conceptualization of their professional identity. From the perspective of ISTs, the conceptualization of language teacher identity was centered on their commitment to providing quality education. Overall, they addressed the challenges posed by the dominant ideologies and policies in their context. While sharing common principles, Aysel and Funda characterize their teacher identity differently. Specifically, Aysel conceptualizes her teacher identity as one deeply rooted in her personal worldview and ethical beliefs, as illustrated below:

I always try to be open-minded and try to encourage my students in ways that they will feel free to become creative. I am always open to new experiences and new ideas. So, I try to give creative assignments or do more enjoyable and authentic tasks in class. (Aysel-IST).

From a different perspective, Funda described herself as a teacher who strives for excellence, particularly in teaching English. She further expressed her commitment to her students and foregrounded the value of English language education in shaping her identity as a teacher who perseveres despite challenges. She positioned herself as an agent to cultivate positive attitudes in students and motivate them to learn English. She connected her role to her resistance to being appointed to Imam Hatip schools, which was driven by her personal beliefs about the value of English language education and her concern about the dominance of religious subjects. These concerns were shown in the following example:

I am a teacher who strives for the best I can without being stuck on the number of lessons (2 lessons a week) by constantly keeping myself up to date and doing research so that my students both love foreign languages and pass to the next level of education by developing a positive attitude. Although this is the most important reason why I have stayed in primary school for years, another reason is that the schools are in good condition and locations (middle school, high school) are Imam Hatip schools. As a result of what we have heard and experienced from friends who work in such schools and my observation of the visions put forward by the people who manage such schools, I believe that English lessons will not be given the necessary importance in a school where Quran, Arabic, Hadith, etc. lessons are predominant. Since this situation will cause a feeling of “worthlessness” for both my field and myself, I do not want to be appointed to those schools even though there are a lot of norm vacancies in such schools. (Funda-IST).

In this reflection, Funda expressed concerns about the prioritization of religious subjects over English lessons. She raised more concerns about the misalignment of her passion for teaching English with the vision and values of Imam Hatip schools. She further noted that these constraints might decrease the perceived importance of English and lead to a sense of “worthlessness.” Funda’s experience shows a striking interplay among micro, meso, and macro-level factors. At the micro level, her efforts and initiatives influence her teacher identity. The conditions and locations of schools (primary, middle, high school) can be considered as meso-level factors influencing her career choices and workplace. The macro-level factors echoed in her reflection were the perceived importance given to religious subjects over English in Imam Hatip schools, which reflects broader cultural and institutional norms.

When asked about the contextual dynamics, Aysel noted the cultivation of positive attitudes and enabling equity among students as part of her teacher identity. She reported prioritizing equal treatment of students as a central component of her teaching philosophy. She tied the formation of her teacher identity to the school context and workplace. She explained her commitment to fairness and equal opportunities for all students and foregrounded a sense of resistance to policies and practices, as exemplified below:

I have changed my workplace 6 times in all these years, and I can easily say that where you work determines what kind of teacher you are to a great extent… What matters most for me is that they develop a positive attitude towards learning new things and of course a new language. Therefore, I put great effort into not losing many students in class. I try to make them feel equal and valued in class…(Aysel-IST).

Aysel expressed an individual initiative and deliberate effort to align their teaching practices with their values and priorities. She highlighted the impact of workplace conditions on teacher identity. She reflected a pedagogical focus on equity and inclusivity and a recognition of diverse student needs in her context. She expressed a commitment to social justice through pedagogical practices that prioritize positive attitudes, inclusivity, and the equitable treatment of students.

The aforementioned conceptualizations of language educators were found to be influenced by numerous factors, including the context in which they teach, their experiences, and their beliefs about education and social justice. While PSTs reflected on their identity development concerning students, classroom management, and the achievement of expected goals, ISTs highlighted cultivating social justice and creating a balanced and inclusive environment for students from diverse backgrounds.

Micro, Meso, and Macro-Factors Affecting their Identity Formation with the Impact of Dominating Ideologies.

The micro factors affecting the identity formation of ISTs were found to be the principles of their teaching philosophy, individual identity, professional experience, dynamics, and abrupt changes in their school setting. The macro-factors were centered on power dynamics, national policies, discourse in dominant ideologies, school location, and type.

In-service teachers shared experiences of feeling controlled and unable to make decisions due to government decisions and macro-level policies. For example, Aysel noted that the actual classroom practice may deviate from ideal teaching philosophies due to factors like power dynamics and institutional constraints:

The teaching materials supplied by the government and the regulations conducted every year do not give a chance for English teachers to do their jobs as they have learned at university. Besides these, the teacher-training practices are not organized well and do not apply to every teacher all the time. What I mean is that Türkiye is a big country with different schools with different levels and needs. They must consider the needs of the local realities (Aysel-IST).

In this reflection, Aysel noted the limitations of annual regulations and imposed teaching materials, which prevented her from implementing the knowledge and expertise she acquired at the university. This reflection relates to broader systemic challenges that influence the autonomy and agency of English teachers. Further, Aysel shared a dissatisfaction with the inadequacies in teacher-training practices and the lack of consistency in their application. Aligning with the principles of social justice, she foregrounded the need for the recognition of local realities and individual needs in Türkiye. She called for an inclusive educational system. Her experiences illustrated her agency in navigating systemic challenges and calling for social justice.

The experiences of ISTs working with diverse student populations, including refugees, indicated the impact of dominant ideologies on students’ integration and the challenges faced in promoting equitable education. Responses of language educators also referred to issues related to the distribution of resources and the impact of administrative decisions on classroom practices. For example, Funda highlighted the impact of national policies related to the distribution of Syrian students in schools, which disrupted teaching practices and posed challenges to her effectiveness as a language teacher:

I have been working for 9 years in a primary school in a densely populated district of Istanbul, especially in a neighborhood where (Syrian immigrants) have settled. While there are not many visible problems reflected in the media, children are not able to communicate with their classmates, and teachers make them more upset and leave us helpless. In 2018, the Temporary Education Centers opened for them and staffed by Arab instructors were suddenly closed and those children were distributed to local schools. Selected adult Syrians who understood a little Turkish were sent to the school as guides with very high salaries to connect with those children and their families. However, since they only support them in situations that turn into a crisis, not being able to communicate with them, in general, causes those children to get bored in class, fight with other children during breaks, and even cause incidents with parents at the exit. As teachers, this situation left us helpless for at least 3 years. Most of our conversations were about how to find a middle ground in these issues. (Funda-IST).

In this reflection, Funda positioned linguistic and cultural diversity as a challenge and highlighted experiencing communication barriers. She reported a sudden change due to the closure of the Temporary Education Centers for Syrian students. She shared the negative impacts of these policy and practice changes that involve boredom of these students in class, negative teacher attitudes, conflicts during breaks, and even incidents involving parents. She noted that this change disrupted the previously set support system and left teachers feeling helpless. She further reflected on her ongoing struggle to find effective solutions. This reflection refers to the collective disruption of meso and macro factors on her professional identity in her schooling context.

Different from the in-service teachers, challenges for teacher educators included issues related to gender, stereotypes, and the integration of refugee students. Teacher educators put a specific emphasis on the challenges of institutionalization, changes in leadership, and oppressive behaviors of administrators. For example, Derya emphasized the ongoing abrupt administration changes and impacts of her decisions as follows:

…Every change of administrator is an adjustment period and chaos for the trainers. As the administrators do not know what educators are doing, do not know the educational processes, and do not know the student profile, the decisions taken by teachers are questioned and every question turns into a problem. (Derya-TE).

In this extract, Derya refers to the systemic implications of administrators and their disconnection from the educational contexts. She raises several concerns about the instability of administrative staff and their decisions that fail to address the diverse needs of students. Her reflection relates to meso-level aspects involving authority dynamics in her schooling context. Apart from the administrative constraints, TEs highlighted issues of gender inequality in treatment and experienced oppressive behavior in their careers.

Selen shared an issue of gender inequality in treatment and an experience of oppressive behavior in her career as follows:

I will never forget the moment when I was shocked by the treatment of a woman who was the general secretary of the rector of my university. She visited my office along with the rector and vice-rectors to celebrate my appointment as assistant professor and she complained about the pregnancy of a member of this university and her giving birth to a baby. This woman was on annual leave because of her baby and this female general secretary was complaining about her absence. The surprising thing was that I was 7 months pregnant during that time, and this fact was quite obvious from my physical appearance, and she was doing this deliberately. (Selen, TE).

In this extract, Selen shared her struggle with the negative discourse of a university administrator in her professional setting. She referred to oppression stemming from questioning and criticizing women’s choices related to pregnancy and family planning. Her experience relates to the broader issues of gender discrimination and bias within academic institutions at the meso and macro-levels. She further highlighted the importance of professionalism, sensitivity, and respect in the workplace.

The gender-related factors were echoed by the PST in the teaching practicum contexts from another perspective. Female PSTs (Esma and Reyhan) shared their concerns about the management of a male classroom. The following statement illustrates this point:

It was a male class, and so I was a little nervous at first because I think it is a class type that is more difficult to control than other class types when I have been in a male class before. But it was not at all what I expected because it was a very docile and respectful class. (Esma-PST).

In this extract, Esma referred to the influence of biases and stereotypes in shaping her expectations. She drew attention to the importance of recognizing individual differences in the classroom. The teaching journal entries of PSTs revealed cases of the reflections of ongoing dominant ideologies and related challenges in the classrooms. For example, Reyhan highlighted the female students’ struggles due to the single-gender policy implementation in her school:

There was a situation that I encountered during my internship that surprised me a little. While I was teaching in a class of girls, one of the students in the class asked if my male intern friend would come to the class, and when I asked why, she said that she feels more comfortable when there are no boys in the class. This made me realize how much pressure this female student was brought up under when I realized that she was uncomfortable even being in the same class with someone of the opposite sex. (Reyhan-PST).

In this excerpt, Reyhan highlighted contextual and cultural pressures could influence students’ attitudes and interactions with individuals of the opposite sex. She referred to students’ internalization of gender-related norms and expectations that shape their behaviors in the classroom. She further reflected on the impact of societal norms at the macro-level.

Challenging Oppression Stemming from Dominant Ideologies and Policy Changes

The findings of the study showed that language educators position themselves to challenge oppression stemming from dominant ideologies and policy changes in various ways, drawing upon their unique roles, experiences, and beliefs. Teacher trainers emphasized the significance of a balanced and inclusive environment for students from diverse backgrounds. They reported embracing differences, showing cultural diversity as an achievement, and fostering a positive atmosphere in their classes, as noted below:

There are financial constraints and gaps among students. All students from low-income or minority groups deserve to be treated equally and fairly in their educational lives. I do not support an attitude that does not embrace diversity and does not act fairly and equitably. I demonstrate this by creating diverse groups and raising awareness of differences in perspectives. (Selen, TE).

In this extract, Selen highlighted her commitment to the principles of her profession, aligning with the broader goals of promoting social justice, inclusivity, and fairness within the educational system. Similar to Selen, Derya shared a strong commitment to her teaching philosophy and principles to overcome constraints in the workplace.

Within the framework of my background, experiences, and worldview, I generally reject practices that would create an element of oppression in the contexts in which I teach within the framework of logic. After 10 years, I think it is pointless to continue practices that are contrary to my identity as a teacher. I believe that dominant ideologies that have no scientific basis can be overcome by raising new educators and instilling critical learning/teaching in them. (Derya, TE).

In this excerpt, Derya shared how her teaching philosophy revolved around personal integrity, a commitment to principles that reject oppression. She reported believing in the power of education to challenge and overcome dominant ideologies that lack a scientific basis.

Pre-service teachers emphasized the importance of having conversations with students to challenge oppressive practices and prejudiced ideas. They discussed the importance of challenging oppressive ideas and preventing students from stereotypes and harmful ideologies. For example, Esma highlighted the role of teachers in shaping students’ worldviews, cultivating social justice perspectives among students, and avoiding discrimination, as exemplified below:

As a teacher, we need to protect our students from following ideas that might hurt them…As a teacher, you are one of the figures a student might look up to when forming their ideas about how the world should function (their ideology), you can have a major impact on what ideology they will form. So as an English language teacher in Türkiye, my role to promote social justice within my socio-cultural context lies in my efforts to prevent the students from subscribing to harmful ideologies by establishing a classroom that does not under any circumstances discriminate based on race, gender, or ideas. Furthermore, my job would be to actively fight against some of the root causes of these harmful ideologies which are disinformation, reactionary beliefs, and hate by showing the truth behind the lies that reinforce these root causes. (Esma-PST).

In this extract, Esma noted the importance of creating an inclusive classroom environment. She positioned her role as extending to actively fighting against the causes of harmful ideologies, including disinformation, reactionary beliefs, stereotypes, and hate. She reported embracing principles of social justice and inclusivity and setting a positive example for her students.

The ISTs, both Aysel and Funda, through their experiences, expressed a commitment to social justice to challenge oppression. Aysel noted a strive to create a positive and inclusive learning environment, whereas Funda, in her primary school context, reported recognizing the importance of providing quality education to students despite the challenges associated with the integration of refugee students. Aysel, an English language teacher at Imam Hatip High School, reported following the recent trends as a way to challenge the ongoing policies, cultivate creativity, and introduce students to new and relevant concepts. She noted that she conceptualized her role as a resistant agent and that her role involves challenging policies, embracing technology, and advocating for educational freedom. She positioned herself as a resistant agent, as illustrated below:

I envision myself as a resistant agent. For example, this year MoNE has tried to ban the usage of mobile phones in class, which I oppose a lot. I said no to this ban because I don’t think it is something right to do. As an open-minded and trend-following teacher, I encourage my students to use technology and the Internet in class or for educational purposes. If I don’t agree with any practice, I reject doing it or do it in my way. (Aysel-IST).

In this reflection, her stance indicated resisting certain restrictions. Aysel shared reflections on her autonomy in decision-making. She noted being an active agent critically engaging with imposed policies. She expressed a commitment to educational freedom, which contributed to a dynamic and student-focused learning environment. This reflection suggests an interconnectedness of her professional identity, pedagogical values, and practical decisions in the classroom.

These findings suggest language teachers’ rejection of oppressive practices in their contexts. The teacher educators, Selen and Derya, emphasized a need for equal treatment of students from diverse backgrounds that relate to principles of social justice. Pre-service teachers reported challenging such practices by preventing the adoption of harmful ideologies by fostering inclusive classrooms and avoiding stereotypes. The in-service teachers, Aysel and Funda, expressed a commitment to social justice differently. They emphasized resistance to restricted policies and prioritizing quality education in their classes.

Discussion, Conclusion, and Implications

From a social justice perspective, this study documents micro and macro-factors, including teaching philosophies, experience, power dynamics, national policies, and dominant ideologies. These factors were found to shape teachers’ professional identities collectively and influence their teaching practices in different levels and language education contexts. The conceptualization of language teachers’ identity formation was centered on several factors, including contextual dynamics, policy changes, contextual constraints, individual beliefs and values, classroom teaching experience, and ethical beliefs. The critical ethnography perspective centered on the social justice framework enabled the documentation of contextual complexity and the multifaceted nature of teacher identity development.

This study revealed differing positioning of PSTs, ISTs, and TEs regarding macro, meso, and micro level constructs that impact their identity. In the present study, language educators highlighted parallel constructs influencing their professional identity. These constructs were unequal distribution of resources, administrative decisions, and the impact of government policies on teaching practices, especially concerning the integration of refugee students. The dynamic interaction between teacher agency and these contextual structures shapes language teachers’ professional development (DFG, 2016).

This study documented that dominant schooling practices, religious and educational policies, and gender discrimination influenced teachers’ professional identity. Further contextual dynamics, including ongoing policy changes, gaps between teacher training programs, and teaching practice in the field, were found to have a prominent impact on language teacher identity development. Previous research documented the factors negatively impacting teacher identity formation and revealed that budgetary constraints, standardized testing, overcrowded classrooms, and teaching program rules and policies, neo-nationalist authoritarian discourses in the Turkish educational context (Toköz-Göktepe & Kunt, 2021). The professional identity of teachers and their classroom practices is shaped by social influences and carries political implications, leading to conflicts that manifest on both personal and societal levels (Eslamdoost et al., 2020; Yaylı, 2014). Due to this influence, pre-service teacher education should embrace critical identity work, such as critical personal reflection, since teacher identity development and classroom practice are mutually influential and intertwined (Kanno & Stuart, 2011). Previous research also noted that English language teacher identity is restricted and intricately linked to the socio-historical and contextual dynamics and the interplay between local and global factors that involve learning, communication, and teaching (e.g., Rudolph et al., 2019).

The divide between teacher education courses and realities faced in the classroom and school culture is another notable factor influencing teacher identity in the Turkish educational context. According to the non-formal education program documented by UNICEF, “Türkiye is home to almost 4 million refugees and asylum seekers, including 1.7 million children (more than 646,000 are enrolled in schools)-the largest refugee population in the world” (UNICEF, 2021, p. 1). This reported a commitment of Türkiye to integrating all school-aged Syrian refugees into the national public school system since 2017. However, this societal shift has presented challenges for language educators. They reported experiencing struggles in creating an inclusive language teaching process for students with diverse L1 backgrounds. They highlighted challenges in integrating refugee students and the limitations imposed by policies and resource allocation. These challenges yielded disruptions in language teacher identity. Specifically, the in-service language teachers reported challenges related to administrative support and colleagues who prioritize ease over the educational quality of language teaching.

This study revealed that pre-service teachers conceptualized their teacher identity formation within the framework of micro-level factors, including in-class teaching, student management, materials development, and task implementation. In their reflections, they specifically focused on struggles stemming from classroom management, establishing a rapport with the students, lowering their affective filter, and grabbing their attention to the lesson. Previous research documented that teachers’ beliefs about their roles and social justice are centered on their interactions with children and classroom practices (Pantić, 2017). In the present study, the teachers foregrounded their role and conceptualized a teacher as a learner, motivator, and arbitrator. The multi-faceted picture of their identity formation occurs via their interactions with teacher educators and school mentors throughout the dynamic teaching practicum procedures (Yuan, 2016). Since the teachers’ personal and professional backgrounds, school culture, leadership, and pre-service training are mediating factors in the construction of professional identities (Flores & Day, 2006), the grounds and connections between their professional and personal identities remain significant.

Language educators participating in the study reported struggling with the disconnection between practices and emerging policies. They specifically reported that the reproductions of deviations of the actual classroom from ideal teaching philosophies stem from factors like power dynamics and institutional constraints. Teachers could suffer from disorientation due to the lack of exposure to the realities of the classroom (Yuan & Lee, 2015), which in turn could pose limitations in identity development. In Turkish contexts, contextual awareness (Taşdemir & Seferoğlu, 2022) and neo-nationalist discourses influencing teachers’ pedagogical choices and practices are centered on conservatism, cultural differences, and discrimination against refugees (Yazan et al., 2023). The findings of the study provided conforming evidence to these elements. The language teacher identity was influenced by (a) constant educational policy changes in school settings, abrupt administration changes, and oppressive behaviors from administrators; (b) difficulties in maintaining student motivation and classroom management; (c) the distribution of resources and challenges associated with the integration of refugee students. These reflections were also related to overcoming challenges related to diverse demographics, including the integration of refugee students. Overall, this study revealed that PSTs seem particularly focused on micro-level aspects, whereas ISTs were influenced by a combination of micro, meso, and macro-factors. These constructs relate to the interconnectedness of micro (classroom), meso (school), and macro-(societal) dynamics on teacher identity (De Costa & Norton, 2017; DFG, 2016). Previous research in the Turkish context revealed similar findings in that language teachers experience challenges in their identity formation due to meso- and macro-level policies that impact their pedagogical decisions (Yazan et al., 2023).

In this study, language educators shared differing views about challenging oppression. Pre-service teachers focused on the importance of conversations with their students to challenge oppression, and prejudices and to create an inclusive classroom. Different from pre-service teachers, in-service teachers shared their commitment to social justice by challenging current policies, embracing technology and educational freedom, providing quality education, and creating a positive, inclusive learning atmosphere. Teacher educators mainly noted micro factors that include creating a balanced and inclusive environment, embracing differences, and fostering a positive atmosphere in their classes.

The commitment of language educators to social justice and their professional identity is significant in responding to challenges posed by the education system. Thus, pre-service and in-service teacher education programs should explicitly address social justice principles within the ELL contexts. Raising awareness about their practices and roles as agents of social justice and change could foster their professional identity. To address this, training practices can support teachers’ autonomy in becoming agents of positive change in their educational contexts. We need to acknowledge language educators as agents of change. This can be achieved by understanding the connection between teacher agency and contextual factors that underlie professional development (DFG, 2016; Gao, 2019). To embrace this mindset, mentoring programs can be organized to form and share certain strategies to overcome challenges arising from dominant ideologies, and institutional policies. The collaboration among PSTs, ISTs, and TEs could create a space for sharing experiences and co-learning. The programs can explicitly offer training modules, sources, and workshops. Emerging issues, policy changes, and suggested solutions can be introduced to language educators.

This study presented an overview of the voices and experiences of language educators in an underrepresented Turkish educational context. Future research could explore the perspectives and experiences of school administrators and policymakers. Longitudinal studies may focus on the development of professional identities over a period to figure out how their views evolve. Future research could focus on the contextual factors and dominant ideologies in different teacher training settings.

About the Author

Sibel Söğüt, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor at the English Language Teaching Department at Sinop University, Türkiye. She teaches undergraduate courses in the English language teacher training program. She has participated in research projects funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye and Scientific Research Projects in Higher Education Institutions. She has research interests in pre-service English language teacher training, critical pedagogy, second language writing, data-driven learning. ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3395-7445.

To Cite this Article

Söğüt, S. (2024). Disrupted English language teacher identities: A social justice perspective. Teaching English as a Second Language Electronic Journal (TESL-EJ), 28(1). https://doi.org/10.55593/ej.28109s4

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