Identity Construction in the Process of Learning Language and Culture in an Immigrant Autobiography

ABSTRACT

This article discusses the construction of language teachers identity, based on an autobiography written by a teacher of English, former immigrant in the U.S.A. The focus, through qualitative analysis, is on personal struggles experienced while learning English and trying to fit in the foreign culture, and the meanings construed in initial teaching experiences. Discussions on the intricate nature of language teacher identity (Barkhuizen, 2017) and the role of agency in personal development (Lantolf and Thorne, 2006) underlie the study. The narrative is also linguistically analyzed according to the system of Appraisal. Results reveal the relevance of emotions in identity development.

Keywords:
Language teacher identity; agency; autobiographies; appraisal