Teacher Identity Tensions and Coping Strategies
Language Teacher Identity and Reflective Practice - Zia Tajeddin
Zia Tajeddin [+]
Allameh Tabataba'i University
Zia Tajeddin is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran. He is Chair of Iranian Interlanguage Pragmatics SIG and Editor of Applied Pragmatics (John Benjamins) and Journal of Second Language Teacher Education. His research interests center on interlanguage pragmatic instruction and assessment, conversation analysis, (im)politeness, teacher/learner cognition and identity, and EIL/ELF. He has presented papers in many (inter)national conferences and published papers in journals such as The Language Learning Journal, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, RELC Journal, Australian Journal of Teacher Education, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, TESL-EJ, Language and Intercultural Communication, and TESL Canada Journal.
Description
In chapter five, teacher identity tensions and the coping strategies they adopt to deal with these tensions are described. Teachers have multiple identities and multiple I-positionings. For effective professional development, teachers should strike a balance between different types of identities; otherwise, they may lose their motivation for teaching and experience identity marginalization. The chapter highlights the role that reflective practice can play in making teachers aware of these identity tensions and of the need for coping strategies.