Sadeghi Karim and Ghaderi Farah (Eds): THEORY AND PRACTICE IN SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHER IDENTITY: RESEARCHING, THEORISING AND ENACTING

Abstract

Given the prominence of second language (L2) identity in applied linguistics and bilingual education today, the publication of Theory and Practice in Second Language Teacher Identity: Researching, Theorising, and Enacting is a timely reminder that this dynamic concept can be changed and developed subject to sociocultural situations and pedagogical challenges. One of the few books to concentrate on both theoretical and practical issues of teacher identity in L2 contexts, it reviews systematically how teacher identity is currently conceptualized and researched, reports empirical studies conducted on L2 teacher identity in various settings with diversified instructional purposes, and reflects on the implications critical to applied linguistics and L2 teacher education. This edited volume addresses a multiplicity of constructs involved in identity (emotions, commitment, agency, investment, etc.) and uses a host of methodologies such as conversation analysis, narrative inquiry, journal writing, visual representations, and (auto)biographical accounts to explore key aspects of L2 teacher identity. The data collected and coded capture both the internal and external influences on the trajectories in L2 teachers’ professional growth. The themes it highlights are essential for the enhancement and enrichment of L2 teacher identity. As such, it can help policy-makers to refine L2 teacher education programs, and point to future directions for teacher identity research.