A Study On The Influence Of Teaching Practice On Pre-service English Teachers' Identity

With a shift of focus from cognitive to social perspectives in teacher development,researchers begin to put much emphasis on the role of identity.From overall studies,it seems that though overseas research pays attention to in-service teachers' identity as well as pre-service teachers' identity,domestic research mostly focuses on in-service teachers'identity.As pre-service teachers are meant to teach in schools after graduation,it is important to explore pre-service teachers' identity.While during the teacher training program especially during teaching practicum,pre-service teachers' identity,that is,how they define themselves as well as how they are understood by others,may have a change.Hence,to get good understandings of factors that influence pre-service teachers' identity development is conducive to pre-service teachers,professional development in the future.Therefore,it is necessary to carry out research on pre-service teachers' identity.Focusing on one pre-service teacher Rebecca who comes from a M.Ed.program of a key normal university and applying qualitative method including semi-structured interview,classroom observation and diary writing,this study aims to find out if the pre-service teacher's identity has a change after teaching practicum and investigate the possible factors that lead to the results.Based on the dimensions created by Kelchtermans,the teacher identity consists of five parts:self-image,self-esteem,job motivation,task perception and future perspective.It was found that the pre-service teacher's identity had changed a lot concerning some dimensions after teaching practicum.For example,from the dimension of self-image,there was a big contrast between what the pre-service teacher thought of herself as a teacher and what she performed during teaching practicum.In terms of the dimension of self-esteem,though the pre-service teacher felt quite confident in being an excellent teacher before and after teaching practicum,the problems she met during teaching practicum especially her competency in oral English lessened her confidence more or less.For job motivations,it seemed that the pre-service teacher was greatly influenced by internal factors rather than external factors after teaching practicum.When it came to self-perception,it seemed that the pre-service teacher's perceptions of the job went deeper after teaching practicum,she even can use metaphors to express her opinions about being a teacher.For the last dimension future perspective,the pre-service teacher no longer took 'the survival phase' as the priority in her first few years' teaching,she had clearer expectations toward the future and she had a clear plan for her job after teaching practicum.For the reasons that lead to such changes can be summarized as follows:from the perspective of environmental ones:mentor,peers support,school atmosphere,relationships with students and some other factors all contribute to such changes.As for the personal factors,the pre-service teacher's competency in English,beliefs as well as her prior teaching and learning experience all lead to such changes.