Teacher Identity 01

University of Algiers 2- Faculty of Foreign Languages- Department of English
Master 2 in Applied Linguistics and TEFL

Teacher Identity
Mrs.Mouhoubi
1-Conceptualizations of Teacher Identity
Introduction
“Our identity is the very core of who we are as human beings. From birth we are subject
to how we are thought about, treated, and cared for by the significant people in our
lives….”
Teacher identity is an emerging subject of interest in research on language teacher

education and teacher development. The concepts of self and identity are often used
interchangeably in the literature on teacher education. Both are complex constructs, not
least because they draw on major research and theoretical areas of philosophy, psychology,
and sociology. An understanding of teachers’ selves, their cognitive and emotional identities,
is central to the analysis of variations in teachers’ work, lives and effectiveness.
1-The Construct of Teacher Identity:
“Teacher identity is not simply who teachers think they are” (Kress 2011)
“Teacher identity is hard to articulate, easily misunderstood and open to interpretation”

(Olsen 2008 ).
For a long time, language teachers were seen as technicians who needed merely to
“apply” the right methodology in the language classroom. As classroom-based research
became more popular, it became increasingly obvious that classrooms are in fact very
complex places in which simplistic cause–effect models of teaching methodology were
inadequate
( Allwright 1988).
The teacher plays a huge role in the constitution of classroom practices; thus, the teacher
became the focus of research attention. Initial explorations of teacher beliefs, knowledge,
and attitudes made it clear that such attributes could not be seen independently but that it was
the teacher’s whole identity that was at play in the classroom.
At the same time, a separate line of research was beginning to explore the socio-cultural
and sociopolitical dimensions of teaching. This research revealed that many aspects of
identity ( such as race and gender ) are important in the language classroom. The teacher too
was not a neutral player in the classroom. On the contrary, the teacher’s positionality in
relation to students, and to the broader context was vital.
1
From two different directions, then, it became apparent that in order to understand
language teaching and learning we need to understand teachers; and in order to understand
teachers, we need to have a clearer sense of Who they are: the professional, cultural,
political, and individual identities which they claim or which are assigned to them.
2-Theories of Teacher Identity
2-1-Social Identity Theory ( Tajfel and Truner 1978):
This theory has gained acceptance in anthropology and sociology. Social identity is
based on individuals group memberships ( such as social class, family...etc) that people
belong to as an important source of pride and self-esteem. The group gives a person a sense
of belonging to the social world. People tend to enhance the status of the group to which
they belong: (a)-the in-group and to discriminate or hold prejudiced views against (b) the
out-group, then enhancing their self-image; the world is then divided into “them” and “us”
through a process of social categorisation.
In this theory, teacher identity is about the teacher’s characteristics, social roles and
responsibilities as perceived by both the teacher and others. Role identity is important
because individuals come to understand who they are by occupying particular roles in
society. Identity is both transformational and transformative as individual teachers revalue,
negotiate and re-construct their respective identities. An important aspect of this theory is
the relation between assigned identity—the identity imposed on one by others—and claimed
identity, the identity or identities one acknowledges or claims for oneself (Buzzelli &
Johnston, 2002).
2-2-Situated Learning Theory ( Lave and Wenger 1991 ):
The researchers argue that learning is a social process whereby knowledge is

co-constructed; they suggest that such learning is situated in a specific context and
embedded within a particular social and physical environment. In this theory, Teacher
identity is defined and characterized as a process and product of learning within particular
situations and communities of practice. Individual teacher identities are formed especially
at the pre-service and beginner-teacher or novice levels. It stresses the interactional and
learning values of teaching practicum for student-teachers.
Conclusion
Teacher identity is continually reshaped over the life of an individual. It is dynamic

( Rodgers 2008) and shifts as teachers move into their professions and gain experience ( life
experiences and job experiences).

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University of Algiers 2- Faculty of Foreign Languages- Department of English

Master 2 in Applied Linguistics and TEFL

1-Conceptualizations of Teacher Identity

Teacher identity is an emerging subject of interest in research on language teacher

1-The Construct of Teacher Identity:

“Teacher identity is hard to articulate, easily misunderstood and open to interpretation”

2-Theories of Teacher Identity

2-1-Social Identity Theory ( Tajfel and Truner 1978):

2-2-Situated Learning Theory ( Lave and Wenger 1991 ):

The researchers argue that learning is a social process whereby knowledge is

Teacher identity is continually reshaped over the life of an individual. It is dynamic

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