INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Nowadays, there is a quite popular situation that a lot of young English teachers have been provided with the knowledge of teaching methodology, of language and improve language skills, but do not get them prepared for dealing with the difficulties in the process of teaching It has been revealed that senior students in teacher training college or universities often ask themselves the questions about their teaching career and about themselves such as "Can I fulfil the teaching job effectively? Am I confident enough to be in charge of the whole class later? What can I bring to my young students?” Therefore, they often find it hard to find the appropriate answers to these questions, to their feeling overwhelmed and challenged (Thomas & Beauchamp, 2011) This leads to the crucial issue for pre-service teachers to train themselves again In terms of self- identity, it is simply defined as what individuals believe about themselves, or a model that each person consults to understand himself/herself, especially during situations in which his/her choice play a decisive role (Beijaard et.al., 2000; Salehnia & Ashraf, 2015; Zlatković et.al., 2012) From this perspective, teachers’ professional identity can be defined by how a teacher identifies him or herself in the field of teaching and answer questions like “who am I as a teacher?” and “what kind of teacher do I want to become?” (Beijaard et al., 2004) According to Pillen et al., (2013), teachers’ professional identity refers to the way teachers think about themselves as professionals and how they deal with the interactions with students and others Actually, teachers’ identities are demonstrated when they take on a variety of roles within the classroom like the controller, the prompter, the resource, the assessor, the organizer, the participant, and the coach (Anderson, Larsen & Freeman, 2011) Although many studies have been conducted on teachers' professional identities, it is not yet possible to determine how and what specific characteristics shape teachers' identities (Lutovac, 2020) Chen (2019) considered identity as an experience in relation to the three modes of belonging that are interaction, imagination, and balance There are many theories about how identity is formed, for exa mple, Identity Discourse Theory (IDT) that emphasizes identity is formed mainly through language (De Costa and Norton, 2017) Another view considers identity construction through participation in meaningful social activities (Derakhshan and Fathi, 2019) The formation and growth of professional identity are the processes of maturity of an individual that begin before and during the learning of a profession (for instance as an EFL/ESL teacher) and continue to grow until the individual is recognized as an expert in that profession (Lee and Yin, 2010; Kanno and Stuart, 2011) If identity is built into the discourses and contexts in which teachers work, teachers' identities can be determined in advance (Tsui, 2007; Xie and Derakhshan, 2021) However, it is important to note that identity formation is not a fixed action and does not occur at certain times (Lutovac, 2020) Teachers create their identity through a process of ongoing negotiation, debate, and dialogue that includes both their personal and professional lives
Ulvik, Helleve, and Smith (2018) stated that there was the need for bridging the gap between theories students learnt from the university coursework and practical teaching environment Competency is a term used extensively by different people in different contexts; hence, it is defined in different ways Teacher education and job performance are two contexts in which this term is used Competencies are the requirements of a “competency-based” teacher education and include the knowledge, skills and values a teacher-trainee must demonstrate for successful completion of a teacher education program (Houstan, 1987) Teacher competence is the teacher's ability to educate students in the teaching and learning process in order to create outstanding students based on the four competencies they have, namely pedagogical, personal, professional, and social competence A conceptual framework of teachers’ professional competence Guerriero and Revai (2017) start off by defining teacher competence as a broad term referring to the ability to meet complex demands in a given context by mobilizing various psychosocial (cognitive, functional, personal and ethical) resources
In this sense competence is dynamic and process-oriented, and includes the capacity to use and to adapt knowledge Shabani (2006) also divides teacher’s competencies into characteristic and scientific By characteristic competencies he means: student-oriented authoritarian, student oriented and intimacy oriented, subject oriented and intimacy oriented, subject oriented authoritarian; By scientific competencies he means: awareness of psychology, teaching methods, new communication methods, social psychology, teaching psychology and communicating Ahmad et.al (2018), teachers' competency will give positive effects on students' academic development and skills, and help teachers to improve their teaching techniques
Since the introduction of Doi Moi, a number of changes have occurred that exerted an important impact on Vietnam's system of teachers’ education and training: Government spending on education and training has increased both in absolute terms and as a percentage of overall government spending; elimination of many regulations restricting or proscribing the private sector's role; new decrees and resolutions were passed that encourage the private sector to enter the education field; allowance for public institutions to levy tuition fees (Hoan, 2008) However, teachers are still trained on a basis of theory rather than practice They have to learn a lot of subjects and pass all of them with the required scores Despite their language proficiency and pedagogical content knowledge they learned, their practical teaching methodology and language proficiency still receive considerable concerns as they are not effective in reality (Le, 2019; Nguyen, 2013; Nguyen, 2016; Nguyen & Ngoc, 2018) The fact that Vietnamese teachers turn their back on the trained teaching skills is critical yet has not received adequate attention In addition to heavy learning curriculums, teacher training institutions are poorly equipped with outdated facilities and training methods and lack systematically and scientifically written training materials; great mismatch between the demand for expansion in size and improvements in quality; contradiction between training needs and the existing capacity of the training system (Hoan, 2008) Finally, it can be said that teachers training institution on Vietnam have no orientation and consultation for students They do not guide students to the model of teachers they will become in the future (teacher identity) After graduation, quite a lot of teachers have no orientations to develop their career and even change to different fields.
Statement of the problem
EFL student- teachers training institutions in Vietnam are now being provided conditions to claim their role and improve their teaching competency according to promulgation and implementation of training policies from the Government with projects such as "Improving the capacity of lecturers and administrators of higher education institutions to meet the requirements of fundamental and comprehensive renovation of education and training in the period of 2020 - 2030"; "Training and fostering teachers and preschool education administrators for the period 2020 - 2025"
At the same time, the Ministry of Education and Training has also issued regular training programs for teachers so that they can be trained for managing, directing, organizing and compiling, improving professional quality and capacity, meeting the requirements of job positions, improving the level of responsiveness Nevertheless, it is obvious that they still encounter numerous problems in determining their teaching identity and developing their teaching competency in practical situation In order to examine better the difficulties which EFL student-teachers may confront, a case study of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTEC) should be taken particularly in the Faculty of Foreign Languages, in which there is a number of experienced teachers-trainers of methodology responsible for a lot of the EFL student - teachers
Through the surveys there may be reasons why the EFL student - teachers feel such the difficulties in their identity as follows
The first and foremost reason is probably the burden of the university training programs with a lot of subjects to be covered Therefore, students must focus on a lot of theoretical knowledge and having quite a little time for practicing what they have learned in class In reality, the classroom has no ideal condition as in the theory with students from different levels, shortage of facilities and large space Therefore, a lot of them have to suffer from what is called “reality shock” when teaching the real class for the first time
In addition, even when the final year students can to some extent identify their teaching identity, they still have difficulties in implementing it in actual situations When teaching in classroom, they do not have their time to think much They have to balance the discipline of students, amount of knowledge and application of facilities and technologies If one of those factors goes wrong, the lesson can be negatively affected
In summary, these problems mentioned above may prevent EFL student - teachers from improving teacher identity and teaching competency effectively It is important to figure out the problems and identify perceptions of language teacher identity held by final year students at HUTECH university as well as strategies they employ to develop their teaching competency.
Aims and objectives of the study
This study aims at investigating EFL student - teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and their strategies for developing teaching competency in the context of HUTECH University in Ho Chi Minh city The research objectives are as follows:
- To explore EFL student - teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity;
- To find out the strategies EFL student - teachers employ to develop their teaching competency.
Research questions
In order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the thesis addresses the following questions:
1 What are EFL student - teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity at HUTECH University?
2 What strategies do EFL student - teachers employ to develop their teaching competency?
Scope of the study
This study was conducted at HUTECH University in Ho Chi Minh city, one of the biggest universities in technology and English training The period of time for survey is from September 2023 to December 2023 The participants were 80 last year students as EFL student – teachers of the university In order to achieve reliable results, the mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative were used Two instruments were taken to do the research: questionnaire and semi-structured interview, which were directly assigned to the selected last year students of the HUTECH University.
Significance of the study
The earlier years of the 21 st century have witnessed the significant innovation of educational in Vietnam, especially in English language teaching Since then, the ways that teacher percept about their identity needs to change in adaption to the educational reform Instead of teaching English language according to their learnt theory and experience, they have to find out their role model and determine the teacher identity In addition, teachers need to improve and develop their teaching competency through learning and observation in order to be more successful in the teaching career In the universities and colleges in Vietnam, final year students in teacher training institutions rarely apply what they learnt at educational institutions previously and meet difficulties in finding their own methods and strategies of teaching This study is significant because it provides profound understandings on teaching identity and teaching competency, points of views of final year students about teacher identity and strategies to improve the teaching competency Moreover, it will have an influence on the stimulation of changes in roles of teachers and their access to teaching in language classroom
In addition, there have been a lot of studies on teacher identity and teaching competency but there was no study on this issue of final year students in Vietnam It means that there is a gap to examine the teacher identity of EFL student - teachers in teacher training institutions in a more comprehensive approach that takes into consideration various constructing factors that build up the teacher identity and teaching competency Although teachers 'professional identity has emerged as a subject of interest for researchers globally, in Vietnam the issue has not received adequate attention Canh (2013) is one of the rare Vietnamese academics pursuing this area of research Therefore, this research paper will concentrate solely on the construction of teacher identity of EFL student - teachers at a university in Vietnam A study that examines teacher identity of Vietnamese final year students who will become teachers would be of vital significance.
Definitions of key terms
For the purpose of this study, terms must be defined to provide a specific perspective on the issues discussed
Perception means that someone experiences a psychological process by the five senses Perception can be negative or positive
EFL student - teachers is known as teacher candidates, this term is used to describe student teachers who are enrolled in a teacher education program and working toward teacher certification They complete supervised field-based teaching experiences with the support and mentorship of university faculty These are students trained from higher education institutions to become professional teachers who have little to no experience teaching in the classroom
Teacher identity is defined as the beliefs, values, and commitments an individual hold toward being a teacher (as distinct from another professional) and being a particular type of teacher
Teaching competency includes the skills and knowledge that help a teacher be successful in teaching and in order to enhance student learning, teachers must have expertise in a wide range of teaching competency so that they are able to deal with every student having different learning styles.
Organization of the thesis
This study report consists of five separate chapters
Chapter1 provides an introduction for the study with the background information related to the study, the rationale of the study, the aims and objectives, the research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the study, the definitions of the key terms as well as the organization of the thesis
Chapter 2 is the literature review, presenting the information related to teacher identity and teaching competency The conceptual framework is also introduced in literature review
Chapter 3 describes the methodology of the study including the research design, the research site, the sample and sample procedures, the research instruments, the data collection procedures as well as the data analysis procedures
Chapter 4 supplies the presentation of results of the study by analyzing the data collected from questionnaire and semi-structured interview The discussion of the data is also compared and contrasted with the data in previous studies
Chapter 5 presents the summary of the main findings of the thesis, implications of the research, limitation of the research and recommendations for further research.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Before getting out of the college and officially become competent English teachers with a variety of norms, EFL student - teachers have experienced a long time studying, training and struggling with the language, teaching methodology and even themselves Especially, at the present time which is the time with a lot of changes in science and technology, in the ways thinking and social perceptions, the requirement towards a language teacher are apparently higher The more the society and people’s life has developed, the more pressure has been put on the teacher, the one that takes the crucial important roles in society, education and even culture
As part of a research on language teacher identity and strategies for teaching competency development, numerous literature components must be explored, particularly in EFL student - teachers' attitudes and behaviors As a result, the purpose of this study is to first offer brief literature in the following categories: the literature of language teacher identity, teaching competency, and strategies for teaching competency There are also earlier studies that are evaluated and compared to highlight the gaps in the study Finally, in the next chapters, a conceptual framework will be provided to provide a general summary of the study
2.2.1 Definition of language teacher identity
Identity can be seen as a pattern that emerges from interactions and the level of acceptance within a profession, organization, or environment, encompassing both psychological and sociological factors This formation of identity occurs through close interactions influenced by psychological and sociological elements, which are regarded as a standard spectrum of acceptance in society Wolff and De Costa (2017) has extensively discussed the concept of identity, which holds great significance in the social sciences and applied linguistics According to the "theory of social identity”, individuals shape their identities by responding to social demands in their environment In the realm of non-English language education, native English-speaking teachers (NEST) are given more importance and are considered essential compared to non-native English-speaking teachers (NNEST) Varghese et al (2005) asserts that English has gained priority as an international lingua franca in our globalized world, leading to various power dynamics between native and non-native speakers As a result, research in applied linguistics has expanded to encompass studies on language teachers' identity (LTIs) and TESOL The effectiveness of teachers is influenced by factors that negatively impact their self-esteem and academic status, such as reduced engagement, difficulties in communication, and struggles in comprehending complex terminology
Language teacher identity (LTI) refers to how language teachers perceive themselves and their understanding of their roles in their profession It also encompasses how others, including colleagues, students, and institutions, perceive them According to (Moussu & Llurda, 2008), identity is about being recognized as a specific "type of person" within a particular context In recent years, it has been acknowledged that teachers are complex individuals who possess thoughts, emotions, and moral values, and they make decisions regarding their practices in classrooms, schools, and communities Therefore, gaining insight into the nature of their identity is crucial As Moussu and Llurda (2008) argue, to comprehend language teaching and learning, we must understand the teachers themselves, including their professional, cultural, political, and individual identities, whether self-claimed or ascribed by others
Understanding who teachers are involves exploring various aspects of their lives that contribute to the construction of their identities through research, teacher reflection, and teacher-led research One significant aspect is the diverse roles and functions teachers undertake in their interactions with others Additional factors include teachers' beliefs, their theories of language teaching, moral perspectives, and emotions Teachers' identity formation is also influenced by their past experiences and personal histories, encompassing their experiences as language learners, their journey to becoming language teachers, and their anticipated experiences in different future contexts Another dimension is their actual teaching practice, how they fulfill their roles within sociocultural environments Throughout this social process, identities are negotiated and shaped through interactions with teachers, learners, and administrators Teachers also engage with material objects, such as technological tools and classroom furniture, in physical spaces, further influencing their identity formation
Research on LTI has drawn upon diverse theoretical perspectives and predominantly employed qualitative and narrative methodologies One perspective views language teacher identity as shaped by practices within a group and the process of individual identification or non-identification with that group Wolff and De Costa
(2017) conceptualizes identity-as-pedagogy, wherein teachers' identities are seen as pedagogical resources that are intertextually woven into their lessons Identity-in- discourse emphasizes the discursive construction of identity, wherein agency is primarily constituted through language Consequently, there is no singular definition of language teacher identity De Costa and Norton (2017) propose a transdisciplinary approach to LTI, drawing on the work of the Kayi-Aydar (2019) to encompass various disciplinary perspectives
Language Teacher Identity (LTI) refers to how language teachers perceive themselves and their roles within their profession, as well as how others perceive them
It encompasses the complex interplay of psychological and sociological factors that shape a teacher's sense of self within their professional environment LTI involves understanding teachers' beliefs, teaching practices, past experiences, and personal histories, all of which contribute to the construction of their identity
2.2.2 Perceptions of language teacher identity
Perceptions of Language Teacher Identity (LTI) are multi-faceted and influenced by several key components, each playing a significant role in how language teachers view themselves within their profession Language teacher identity encompasses multiple components that shape how language teachers perceive themselves and their roles within the profession This study states three significant components of language teacher identity, namely autonomy; social setting; and language
Autonomy plays a crucial role in language teacher identity It refers to teachers' sense of control over their teaching practices, decision-making processes, and professional development Autonomy allows teachers to express their individuality, creativity, and pedagogical beliefs in the classroom When teachers have a strong sense of autonomy, they are more likely to engage in reflective practices, experiment with innovative teaching approaches, and take ownership of their professional growth (Yazan, 2019)
The identity of a language teacher is closely tied to their language background and proficiency Teaching a language requires not only specific knowledge of the language itself but also the ability to effectively communicate with students who have limited proficiency in that language It is important to note that being a first-language (native speaker) does not automatically guarantee an advantage in terms of these teaching requirements Richards (2013) suggests that there is a certain threshold level of communicative competence or language proficiency needed for effective teaching
In their study on English language teachers in Hong Kong, Walsh, Boehm, and Lyubomirsky (2018) found that teachers with a higher sense of autonomy reported a stronger professional identity and higher job satisfaction Autonomy allows teachers to have control over their teaching practices, decision-making processes, and professional development, which in turn shape their perception of themselves as competent professionals
Autonomous teachers exhibit a proactive approach to their work, taking the initiative to design creative lesson plans, explore innovative teaching methodologies, and reflect on their pedagogical choices (Jang, Reeve and Deci, 2010) This sense of independence fosters a positive perception of their professional identity, as they feel more confident and capable in their roles as language educators Autonomous teachers are more likely to engage in continuous learning and seek opportunities for growth, leading to higher job satisfaction and a deeper sense of fulfillment in their profession Autonomy plays a fundamental role in shaping the perception of language teacher identity by providing teachers with a sense of ownership and agency in their professional practice When language teachers have autonomy, they are empowered to make decisions based on their expertise and understanding of their students' needs This ownership of their teaching practices allows them to tailor their lessons to meet the specific requirements of their students, incorporating engaging and innovative teaching methodologies that suit the learning styles and interests of their learners (Dilek & Altas,
By taking the initiative to design creative lesson plans and explore new teaching approaches, autonomous language teachers can maintain a dynamic and stimulating classroom environment This proactive approach not only keeps students motivated and engaged in their language learning journey but also reinforces the teachers' perception of themselves as effective and influential educators Moreover, autonomy fosters a deeper sense of self-confidence and competence in language teachers When teachers have the freedom to design their lessons and make decisions about their teaching strategies, they can align their practices with their pedagogical beliefs and philosophies
As a result, they are more likely to view themselves as skilled professionals capable of making a positive impact on their students' language development (Davies et al., 2013)
Engaging in continuous learning and seeking opportunities for professional growth are natural outcomes of autonomy Autonomous language teachers are more likely to participate in workshops, attend conferences, pursue advanced certifications, and explore research in their field This commitment to lifelong learning not only enhances their knowledge and skills but also reinforces their identity as dedicated and passionate educators (Dửrnyei, 2003)
METHODOLOGY
The elemental objectives of this study as being stated in chapter one is to explore EFL student - teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and to find out the strategies EFL student - teachers employ to develop their teaching competency Therefore, to achieve these objectives sufficiently, the following methodologies are employed at the specific research area
The study in this paper was undertaken by using a mixed-method methodology (a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches) A mixed-method research design, according to Creswell (2011), is a process of gathering, analyzing, and combining quantitative and qualitative methods to properly grasp the study issues To elaborate, Maxwell (2014) defines quantitative research as a systematic examination based on statistical data collection
Furthermore, quantitative research data may come through surveys, questionnaires, and so on, and the outcomes of data analysis may take the shape of a number Thus, Maxwell argues that the research process does not reflect the researcher's predetermination and that values have no influence on the outcomes When using this strategy, the researcher usually focuses on the correlation of the variables The Statistical Software for the Social Sciences (SPSS) is the most beneficial package utilized in this procedure to analyze the acquired data Creswell (2013) defines qualitative research as a scientific approach for collecting non-numerical data This indicates that qualitative research is concerned with the conceptions, perceptions, qualities, attitudes, and descriptions of the participants Furthermore, qualitative study might explain why and how particular events occur
As mentioned above, there are two research methods in this study: quantitative method and qualitative method In terms of quantitative method, research data was collected from questionnaire and survey to assess the extent of influence of varied factors on teacher identity In terms of qualitative methods, research data collected from the interviews sent to participants in person to discover the attitudes and views of pre- service teachers about teaching identity and teaching competency development
This research was conducted at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), which was established on 24 th June 1995 Undergraduate English Language programs that give background and specific information to assist students in becoming competent in English in social and business contacts Furthermore, students can utilize English to study certain vocational topics in depth Students majoring in English Language can pick from a variety of career-oriented degrees, including translation and interpretation, office business, education, and business English
All language and major courses are taught in foreign languages, giving students the chance to enhance general English, English for Academic Purposes, and specialized English over the course of four years Students put their communication abilities to the test with native speakers The English language program is particularly flexible since students can pick one of the Department of Foreign Languages majors to strengthen or expand their knowledge of abilities in another vocational sector educated at the institution by way of optional modules Students with a strong foundation in English and specific expertise have many options to practice at foreign language agencies, corporations, and training institutions while still in the training process
The university is one of the multi-disciplinary universities in Vietnam, in which the Faculty of English language offers three majors in the training program: English for translation and interpretation, English for Business, and TESOL methodology Particularly, TESOL methodology is a new major of 15 credits including 5 subjects: The
Introduction in to methodology and some theoretical issues of EFL, Teacher for TESOL, Teaching English to children, English teaching practice and Teaching Practicum More concretely, Theories of TESOL is about the theories and the main issues related to
English language teaching; whilst, Techniques for TESOL is about English language teaching approaches, methods and techniques, teaching the aspects of language, and teaching the language skills Furthermore, Teaching English to Young Learners focuses on teaching methods for young learners and teaching practices, and English teaching practice is the time students practice their teaching skills in their class Finally, Teaching Practicum provides students chances to practice what they have acquired and learned at university through experiencing empirical period of time in their chosen workplaces
Teaching is the mutual and indispensable process between the teacher and the learner For EFL students, who are learning and being trained not only their institute, but also at the teaching practicum-an important period for them to experience the teaching reality As a result, the research has been conducted with conveniently sampled participants with a group of 80 last year EFL students of the university They have chosen the pedagogically training tendency and will become English teachers Furthermore, there have also been 10 participants chosen from the sample pool to finish semi-structured interview
The participants completed the survey questionnaire at the university campus, which allowed designing and distributing the questionnaire offline as well as made it easy for participants to access and respond to and convenient for respondent to submit their answer Moreover, it also brought efficient data analysis
Besides, the direct interview was for the English teaching methodology student- teachers of the university, who can tell about their actual thinking on the English acquisition and attitudes of the students towards the profession, and about the effects of the language teacher training programs of the faculty Also, a crucial component as participants in the language teacher identification is learners of the EFL students- teachers in the practicum What they think and feel can express in another interview, which to some extent reflect the effect of the college training program and can contribute to build up the figure of perceptions of EFL teachers and strategies for development teaching competency
A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used to collect data following consideration of the research concerns, the two research objectives and the research methodology
Initially, questionnaires were employed as one of the study tools to gather data because they have several advantages As mentioned by McLean (1994), questionnaires are widely used because they are a useful tool for researchers to obtain survey data, may be applied without the researcher being present at the interview, and are often used to directly review the results According to McLean (1994), people use questionnaires widely because they are a useful tool for researchers to acquire survey data and may be applied without the researcher having to be present at the interview in person, and are frequently used to review the data directly Moreover, Nunan (1999) indicates that the primary advantages of questionnaires are cost savings, the ability for multiple people to answer questions at the same time, the ease with which information can be gathered in a wide variety of fields, and the participants' willingness to share their data since their personal information would be concealed
For the questionnaire survey, the researcher employed Likert scale items and multiple- choice questions for the questionnaire in this study, which prevented the preconceptions of fixed questions The advantages of Likert scale items are that the responses are stated in varying intensities, allowing participants to respond quickly and efficiently Furthermore, it makes it easier for researchers to acquire and synthesize data
The questionnaire was divided into three parts Part A encompassed five multiple choice questions stating the participant demographic information The researcher had complete freedom to enforce and execute any direction of the participants' thoughts, which surprisingly supported the study in conducting deeper analysis
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter presents the findings and discussions of the study that sought to explore the perceptions of EFLT student teachers about language teacher identity and the strategies pre-service EFL teachers employ to develop their teaching competency Firstly, the results of the questionnaire are expressed with the aim of clarifying the student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and the strategies employed by the student teacher in developing their teaching competency The results of the questionnaire are described in mean scores and standard deviation Secondly, the responses of the interviewees from semi-structured interview are given to cross check the results with the quantitative results from the questionnaire Finally, discussion of the results is provided at the end of this chapter
4.2.1 The EFL student teacher’s perceptions of language teacher identity
This part is going to present the EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity There are three components of language teacher identity described in the findings, including autonomy; social setting; and language The results collected from the questionnaire are presented first Then, the results from the interviews are presented to crosscheck with the quantitative results generated from the questionnaire The results of each component are shown as the following:
Table 4.1: EFL student teacher’s perceptions of language teacher identity
This section is going to demonstrate the student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of autonomy There are five items (from item 1 to item 5) in the questionnaire, which present the EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of autonomy These items are shown in mean scores and standard deviation and displayed in Table 4.2
Table 4.2 shows that the mean scores of five items range from 4.08 to 4.33 This means that most of the respondents had positive perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of autonomy Specifically, most of the respondents agreed that an English language teacher should express creativity in the classroom (Item 2: M=4.15; SD=0.74) The participants also agreed that an English language teacher should regularly self- evaluate teaching competency (Item 4: M=4.16; SD=0.70) Moreover, they believed that an English language teacher should engage in reflective practices (Item 5: M=4.08; SD=0.69)
Besides, most of the respondents have a strongly positive perception of language teacher identity in terms of autonomy In details, they strongly believed that an English teacher should have a sense of control over his/her teaching practices (Item 1: M=4.33; SD=0.65) They strongly agreed that an English teacher should regularly keep up with language developments through self-study and/or schooling (Item 3: M=4.33; SD=0.67)
Table 4.2: EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in
No I believe an English language teacher should…
1 have a sense of control over my teaching practices 4.33 0.65
2 express creativity in the classroom 4.15 0.74
3 regularly keep up with language developments through self-study and/or schooling
4 regularly self-evaluate teaching competency 4.16 0.70
Regarding the qualitative results collected from the semi-structure interviews, the results support those collected from the questionnaire In other words, the interviewees agreed that autonomy is a necessary and important component for a language teacher The followings are some evidences extracted from the responses of the participants:
“I think autonomy is important if students want to be English teachers This is because they must find new information and materials to make their lesson become more interesting” (S1)
“Autonomy is quite necessary to future teachers Not only do they have to update new knowledge, but they also need to learn new teaching methods to boost the effectiveness of lessons” (S3)
“Autonomy is rather necessary as students in English teaching profession will try to put more innovative methods of teaching” (S6)
“Self – study helps students in teaching occupation to master knowledge quicker as well as create their own methods of dealing with problems” (S10)
In conclusion, the EFL student teachers believed that a language teacher should be autonomous in the sense of control, creative expression, keeping up with the language development, self-evaluation, and the engagement in reflective practices
This section is going to describe the findings of the EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of social setting The social setting component is described by five items (from item 6 to item 10) in the questionnaire These items are presented in the mean scores and standard deviation, and displayed in table 4.3:
The mean scores shown in the table range from 4.02 to 4.25, which means that most of the respondents agree and strongly agree with the statements of the social setting Specifically, they agreed that an English language teacher should develop a sense of belonging within their school communities to become a successful English teacher (Item 7: M=4.02; SD=0.71) Moreover, the participants had a belief that an English teacher should establish a positive welcoming learning environment (Item 8: M=4.17; SD=0.71) Besides, the respondents agreed that an English teacher should engage in collaborative efforts for knowledge sharing, skill development to increase confidence in teaching (Item 9: M=4.11; SD=0.80) They also believed that an English teacher should provide guidance to newer teachers, helping them navigate the challenges for the profession (Item 10: M=4.08; SD=0.81)
Furthermore, most of the respondents strongly agreed that an English teacher should interact well with students to become an effective English language teacher (Item 6: M=4.25; SD=0.75)
Table 4.3: The EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of social setting
No I believe an English language teacher should…
6 interact well with students to become an effective English language teacher 4.25 0.75
7 develop a sense of belonging within their school communities to become a successful English teacher
8 establish a positive welcoming learning environment 4.17 0.75
9 engage in collaborative efforts for knowledge sharing, skill development to increase confidence in teaching
10 provide guidance to newer teachers, helping them navigate the challenges of the profession
Referring to the data collected from the semi-structured interviews, the interviewees presented similar opinions as what they showed in the questionnaire It means that the social environment has an important role in contributing to shaping the perception of language teachers’ identity according to their interview responses The followings are some comments of the interviewees on social setting:
“Social environment can make teachers become better in teaching For example, high – level students in class encourage teachers to raise the teaching level” (S9)
“Social environment plays an important role in shaping teachers’ identity For example, teachers learned in a hardship method when they were students, they will be affected and try to train their students like that” (S6)
“Social environment may encourage teachers to teach better For example, the school has a competition of good teachers, so they must boost their teaching quality” (S3)
“Social environment plays an important role in creating teachers’ identity For example, if teachers are in financial difficulty, they tend to be aggressive or distracted when teaching lessons” (S1)
Overall, EFL student teachers perceived that being aware of the social setting can contribute to the shaping of language teacher identity Specifically, they appreciated the positive interactions between teachers and students, the sense of community, the welcoming and supportive learning environment, the opportunities for collaboration, and the guidance provided to new teachers
This section is going to describe the EFL student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity in terms of language Five statements (from item 11 to item
15) in the questionnaire describe their perceptions All these items are shown in mean scores and standard deviation and described in table 4.4
Table 4.4 shows that most of the respondents have a positive perception of language teacher identity in terms of language because all mean scores shown in the table are high, from 4.31 to 4.46 In details, the mean score of statement 11 is M=4.46; SD=0.61 This proved that most of the respondents agreed that an English language teacher should improve language proficiency which is crucial for effective language teaching Besides, they also strongly agreed that an English teacher should improve language skills to effectively communicate learners’ needs (Item 12: M=4.43; SD=0.67) Many the respondents also believed that the teacher should be proficient in using English to facilitate language learning of students (Item 13: M=4.34; SD= 0.68) One more of their strong agreements is that the teacher should be proficient in using English to model linguistic accuracy and fluency (Item 14: M=4.31; SD=0.64) The last of the respondents’ agreement on language is that the teacher should have the knowledge of students’ native language to aid in providing explanation and addressing potential challenges in language learning of their students (Item 15: M=4.35; SD=0.67)
Table 4.4: Descriptive statistics of the EFL student teachers’ perceptions of
No I believe an English language teacher should…
11 improve language proficiency which is crucial for effective language teaching 4.46 0.61
12 improve language skills to effectively communicate learners' needs 4.43 0.67
13 be proficient in using English to facilitate language learning of students 4.34 0.68
14 be proficient in using English to model linguistic accuracy and fluency 4.31 0.64
15 have the knowledge of students' native language to aid in providing explanations and addressing potential challenges in language learning of my students
In consideration of the qualitative data from the interviews with 10 student teachers, they showed their English language knowledge is important to support their students in learning English According to them, when they are proficient in four skills of English language, they can support their students and help them learn better Some of the interviewees gave their comments as the following:
“In my opinion, I have to be well prepared about knowledge in English to transfer knowledge to students” (S4)
“I think I have to review my grammar and accent so that they are correct before teaching” (S10)
“I think an English teacher should know how to combine English language with mini games in lessons for effective teaching” (S5)
“I need to learn to combine English and Vietnamese in my lessons to make them easier to students” (S2)
“An English teacher who has a stutter should adjust so that it will not affect the quality of lesson” (S9)
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
This chapter is going to present the whole matters of the research In specific, this chapter mentions a summary of the research, limitations, and implications of the research Recommendations for further studies are presented at the end of this chapter
5.2 Summary of the main findings
The research has provided some theories of language teacher identity, teaching competency, and strategies for teaching competency development In addition, the research also presented some previous studies that presented the aspects of language teacher identity and teaching competency development The objectives of this research are to explore the student teacher’s perceptions of language teacher identity and the strategies the student teachers apply to develop their teaching competency
Through using research instruments and methods to analyze data, the findings revealed that the participants had positive perceptions towards language teacher identity Specifically, the participants have a positive perception towards autonomy The mean scores described for the perception towards autonomy are Ms> 4.0 According to the participants, the student teachers should have control ability during teaching process, have creativity to make the classroom and the learners excited at learning Moreover, the student teachers should regularly improve their language knowledge and teaching competency so that their teaching ability is better, and their learners can acquire language knowledge The participants also showed their positive perceptions towards the social setting Min means score is M=4.02; and max mean score is M=4.2 They agreed that the student teachers should have good interaction with learners, have the development attached with the school where they are teaching, and collaboration with other teachers Ultimately, the participants showed their positive perceptions towards language It means that the student teachers are extremely necessary to improve their language ability and knowledge to teach their learners better
The results also indicated that the participants positively agreed with four strategies to develop their teaching competency Those are knowledge, attitude, teaching skills, and language skills In other words, when the student teachers develop these strategies, they can get teaching competency All mean scores of the strategies agree level and strong agreement level
The results of this research have brought valuable and meaningful implications for related sides, consisting of students, teachers, and researchers
Referring to the researchers, this research has contributed to the abundance of research works of language Currently, there is little research of language teacher identity and teaching competency development in Vietnam, especially in a particular school; hence, the study “Student teacher’s perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development” is worth to become one of research works in Vietnam This current study may provide empirical findings for those who attempt to figure out student teacher’s perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development Moreover, the methods of the research also become the reference for other researchers to refer
Referring to teachers, they can understand more about language teacher identity; from that they can understand the role of autonomy, social setting, and language to develop their language teacher identity Thus, with teachers who still lack autonomy, social setting, and language can find the way to improve these Moreover, the research also presented strategies to develop teaching competency by developing knowledge, developing positive attitudes, developing teaching skills and language skills So, the teachers who still lack these aspects can learn from these aspects to improve teaching competency In general, the results of the research helped the future English teachers recognize necessary and important factors to shape the identity of a teacher such as sense of control, creativity in classroom, language developments, reflective practice engagement, collaboration and interaction with colleagues and students, etc Once when they recognized the factors of shaping the language teacher identity, they can direct and orient themselves to become good teachers Besides, the results have become a reference for the future teachers to reference strategies in developing their teaching competency Among lots of knowledge strategies, attitudes strategy, teaching skills strategy, and language skill strategy, they can recognize the role of these strategies and apply them in their teaching competency development, such as engagement in professional development programs; workshop participation; having positive attitudes towards the aspects relating to the teaching; improving their English skills and teaching skills through different ways, etc
For students, who are the first, second, and third-year students in pedagogical context can learn from this research In detail, they can prepare both knowledge and skills to develop their teaching later They also should have positive attitudes towards language learning, feedback from others; mentorship; growth mindset maintainment; etc If they still do not have autonomy, social setting, and language, they can develop this aspect from now on, such as developing interaction with their peer and students at school context; self-study; collaborative engagement, etc In addition, if they still do not know how to improve their teaching competency in the future, they can learn from strategies to develop teaching competency, such as the application of knowledge strategy; attitudes strategy; teaching skills strategy; and language skills strategy
The research has tried best to implement the study; nevertheless, there are still some limitations In terms of language teacher identity and teaching competency development, there are surely to have many matters to discuss about them Nevertheless, because of time and word limited, the researcher is not able to cover all aspects of language teacher identity and teaching competency development
Surely, the main and important aspects of language teacher identity and the teaching competency development are given, discussed, and analyzed so that the readers can be able to recognize the importance and necessity of language teacher identity and teaching competency development in teaching career of a teacher Considering the survey, the researcher used the questionnaire and the semi-structured interview as the only two instruments of the research These two instruments are evaluated to bring effectiveness in collecting data However, the questionnaire and the semi-structured interview were just used for the student teacher So, it is better if these instruments can be used for the teachers to know their perceptions of language teacher identity and strategies to improve teaching competency
It is recommended that students should follow understanding language teacher identity and teaching competency development to improve their teaching career in the future This research is considered as an effective study for student teachers and new students
It is recommended that the researcher should survey teachers who are tutors of the student teacher to understand their perceptions of language teacher identity and teaching competency development Some titles for further research could be recommended such as primary student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development, secondary student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development, high school student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development, and advanced student teachers’ perceptions of language teacher identity and their teaching competency development
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