Conceptualising the role of practice level in language teacher identity construction: An identities-in-practice study

Abstract

Language teachers deal with different groups of learners as a natural aspect of their professional careers. However, little is known about how teachers construct their identities in response to various learner groups. This study relies on the concept of identities-in-practice and explores how six English-L2 teachers construct their identities across beginner and advanced levels of teaching. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews, stimulated recalls, and classroom observations to examine teacher identities across the two practice levels. Data analyses revealed similarities and differences in teacher identities across the two levels, which involved three components: agentic variations, discursive realisations, and extended identities. These findings provide novel implications for understanding language teacher identity construction across different learner groups. The study also provides implications for teachers and teacher educators to pay focal attention to the role identity plays in teachers’ work across different practice levels.