Uncovering language socialization mechanisms in language teacher identity formation: An ethnographic study in a Chinese culture class

Abstract

Language teacher identity formation has long captured researchers’ attention in second/foreign language (L2) teacher education, and nowadays it has been increasingly viewed as a process of socialization. However, much remains unexplored about this socialization process, especially how language socialization impacts L2 teachers’ professional growth. To bridge this gap, this ethnographic study was conducted in a Chinese culture class, aiming to uncover mechanisms of language socialization manifested in the communicative interactions between pre-service English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers and their teacher educator. Results based on qualitative data analyses demonstrated three key mechanisms through which pre-service teachers’ language teacher identity was shaped through their language experience in the classroom. These findings indicate the importance of investigating the influence of language socialization on L2 teachers’ learning experience. Future research directions are also discussed to further the field's understanding of the nature, processes, and outcomes of socialization in language teacher identity formation.