A Study On Special-post English Teacher Identity In Hunan Province

The "Special-post Project for Teachers in Rural Compulsory Education" was launched in 2006 and has since become a driving force in the development of rural compulsory education.At present,there are approximately 19,000 special-post teachers in Hunan province,of whom special-post English teachers account for about 13 percent.And the current situation of their teacher identities has a strong impact on the smooth implementation of the "Special-post Project".However,there has been a paucity of domestic research on special-post teacher identity,especially special-post English teacher identity.Therefore,it is currently of great significance to investigate special-post English teacher identity.The research questions posted in this study are as follows:(1)What is the overall level of special-post English teacher identity in Hunan province?(2)Are there any individual differences in special-post English teacher identity in Hunan province?If so,in what aspects do the differences exist?(3)What are the factors that may be influencing special-post English teacher identity in Hunan province?This study involved 101 special-post English teachers from 12 cities across Hunan province as the research participants and the data was collected through a combination of questionnaires and interviews.The major findings are described below.First,the overall level of special-post English teacher identity in Hunan was relatively high.Specifically,among the four dimensions of special-post English teacher identity,personal identity ranked the highest,followed by major identity,career identity,and situated identity.Second,there was no significant difference among factors concerning special-post English teacher identity in terms of hometown and educational background.However,discrepancy was significant in English language proficiency and attitudes toward English curriculum reform among special-post English teachers due to their different college majors and grade level being taught.Moreover,special-post English teachers with different years of teaching significantly differed in English teaching belief,professional behavior inclination and attitudes toward English curriculum reform.Third,two primary factors which influence special-post English teacher identity were identified as:personal factors and contextual factors.The personal factors included prior personal experiences,professional values and professional competence.The contextual factors involved relationships with students and colleagues,organizational support and national policies.This study has significant implications for improving rural compulsory education.Based upon the findings of this study,some suggestions are put forward as follows:first of all,special-post English teachers ought to obtain and exhibit appropriate professional values and enhance their professional competence.In addition,rural schools ought to provide special-post English teachers with sufficient professional development opportunities and ameliorate their living and working conditions.Eventually,the government ought to improve policies such as the "Special-post Project".