Teacher identity, teaching vision, and Chinese language education for South Asian students in Hong Kong

Abstract

There is a growing interest in research on language teacher identity as relevant research suggests that language teacher self-identification has an impact on their language teaching. The present paper explores the self-identification and subsequent effects on their actual teaching vision and practice of 16 Chinese language subject teachers teaching Chinese as a second language to South Asians in Hong Kong. Data collected from classroom observations and interviews with the teachers demonstrate that Chinese language subject teachers negotiate with South Asian learners and construct their teaching in ways that enable them to create an environment where they see themselves as linguistic torchbearers and cultural transmitters while acquiring a strong feeling of success professionally. This research implies that teacher identity is a kind of pedagogy through which language teachers can reproduce or counteract hegemonic discourses and ideologies that oppress South Asians as non-native language minorities.

Keywords:

• teacher identity
• Chinese language
• discourse
• pedagogy

Notes

1. There is a network of primary and secondary schools that are ‘designated’ to students with South Asian backgrounds in Hong Kong. During the 2008–2009 school year, the number of ‘designated’ schools was 22, the number increased to 26 for the 2009–2010 year.