English language learners’ visualization of identities in transformation in an imagined world

Abstract

This paper investigates the ‘imagined’ English language learner (ELL) identities of Korean undergraduates in comparison with the construction of their ‘past/current’ identities. In an environment of globalization and accelerated development of technology, South Koreans view English as a crucial medium to obtain success. In this educational and societal context, this study examines how ELLs view their imagined ELL identities and communities through their drawings and written descriptions. Grounded in the notion of imagined communities and identity, the study explores how 159 Korean undergraduate students present their expected or desired transformation of identity and communities taking place through English learning. A multimodal analysis was employed to unravel the multifaceted, composite, and fluid attributes of ELL identity from its visual and narrative elements. The findings yield insights into the purposes, orientations, and dispositions of EFL learners, their beliefs about imagined English-speaker identities, and their awareness of the broader global, intercultural context. Concentrating on the transformation in the relational aspect of ELL identity, the study discusses the weight and affordances of English and its relation to ELLs’ imagined ELL identity and further demonstrates their language and cultural awareness in the globalized setting.

Keywords:

• English language learner
• imagined identity
• imagined community
• language awareness
• cultural awareness
• multimodal analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

So-Yeon Ahn

So-Yeon Ahn is an assistant professor at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology), where she conducts research on and social and cultural approaches to language learning, language and cultural awareness, and intercultural communicative competence. She is also interested in the multimodal analysis of language teacher and language learner identity construction and societal ideologies.