English Language Teacher Educators’ critical professional identity constructions and negotiations

ABSTRACT

This study sought to examine how professional identities of English Language Teacher Educators (ELTEs) evolved considering current socio-political factors surrounding Teaching English as an International Language (TEIL) in Colombia. This in-depth research examined how a group of 5 non-native ELTEs constructed and transformed their identity in an English Teacher Education programme. It is framed by an interpretive paradigm and a critical action research approach. Interviews, a series of small group study events, and ELTEs' reflective reports were the three approaches employed to collect the data. The main finding of this investigation showed a certain degree of change in participants' professional identities.

Este estudio buscó examinar cómo las identidades profesionales de los Formadores de Profesores de Inglés (FsPI) evolucionaron considerando los factores sociopolíticos actuales que rodean la Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Internacional (EILI) en Colombia. Esta investigación en profundidad examinó cómo un grupo de 5 FsPI no nativos construyeron y transformaron su identidad en un programa de formación de profesores de inglés. Se enmarca en un paradigma interpretativo y un enfoque crítico de investigación-acción. Las entrevistas, una serie de eventos de estudio en pequeños grupos y los informes reflexivos de los FsPI fueron los tres enfoques empleados para recoger los datos. El principal hallazgo de esta investigación mostró un cierto grado de cambio en las identidades profesionales de los participantes.

KEYWORDS:

• English language teacher educators
• English as an international language
• critical identity construction
• collaborative learning groups
• political conscientisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes to contributor

Julio César Torres-Rocha is a Doctor of Education in TESOL from the University of Exeter, UK. Currently, he is working as a teacher educator at the School of Education in the language teacher education programme of Universidad Libre. He has also worked as an ESL and Spanish as a Foreign Language teacher in Colombia and the United Kingdom. His research interests include intercultural communicative competence, EFL methodology, English as an International Language, and teacher professional identity.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings will be available in ORE Open Research Exeter at https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10036/10891 following an 18 month embargo from the date of publication to allow for commercialisation of research findings.