The role of emotions and beliefs in developing language teacher\u27s professional identity

Abstract

Many studies have investigated different positive and negative emotions that teachers experience in their work place, in addition to their teaching beliefs. However, none of these studies addressed the role of these emotions in formulating teaching beliefs and how both emotions and beliefs shape teacher’s professional identity; particularly in an Egyptian context. The current study addresses this gap. The participants are seven female experienced teachers who work in different private institutions, under different instructional settings. The study uses semi -structured interviews, narratives and focus group discussion as data collection tools. Lazarus psychological theory of emotions (1991) was used to analyze emotions. The beliefs analysis was guided by Borg (2001) and Goodman (1998) frame works and Gee (2001) levels of identity were found to reflect teacher’s professional identity. The results showed that teachers’ emotions affected their beliefs in relation to their students, their own teaching, the institution they work at and their colleagues. The results also implied that emotions and beliefs affected the development of those teachers’ professional identities in three main contexts; student-related, institution-related and their teacher self-related contexts. The study suggests some pedagogical implications if implemented in teachers’ education programs, would help them to develop sense of awareness of their weaknesses and strengths, reconsider their beliefs, whenever urging to do so, and hence the development of their professional identities

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