Assessing and Navigating Personal, Professional, and Contextual Barriers to Teacher Identity: The case of English Language Institutes

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Foreign Languages and Linguistics Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

This study examined the personal, professional, and contextual barriers to teacher identity (TI) within English language institutes and their strategies to navigate them. The study used a multiple case study approach with semi-structured interviews for data collection. It involved four Iranian English institute teachers aged 22 to 30, with varying degrees of education: two holding a B.A., one an M.A., and one a Ph.D. Data analysis utilizing thematic analysis revealed that insecurity, self-doubt, perfectionism, and challenges in balancing personal and professional lives were personal barriers to TI. Moreover, professional barriers such as excessive workloads, strict adherence to academic norms, and stress from peers and superiors could hinder TI development. Furthermore, contextual barriers, including hierarchical cultures, top-down decision-making, and rigid institutional policies, could restrict TI development. The findings also revealed some patterns among these barriers. The results showed that contextual barriers exacerbate professional barriers. Moreover, professional barriers exacerbate personal barriers. Teachers often try to navigate barriers by seeking feedback, engaging in professional development, advocating for their needs, holding meetings, using dead times, focusing on strengths rather than weaknesses, accepting faults and shortcomings, promoting shared leadership, prioritizing self-care and work-life balance, expanding knowledge through reading more, setting realistic goals, recommending solutions, being more flexible, involving and engaging students, motivating students, taking assessment as learning perspective, etc. The study's findings have implications for teachers, teacher training programs, and educational policy.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills)
Volume 44, Issue 4
September 2025
Pages 111-135

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  • Receive Date: 03 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 May 2025
  • Accept Date: 04 May 2025

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