Identity Construction of K-12 EFL Teachers in China: A Systematic Review

Authors

  • Jinying Huang

    Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Huey Fen Cheong

    Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Thanalachime Perumal

    Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11356
Received: 29 July 2025 | Revised: 11 August 2025 | Accepted: 20 August 2025 | Published Online: 17 October 2025

Abstract

Language teacher identity has garnered significant scholarly attention, given its pivotal role in shaping pedagogical practices and teacher development. This systematic review examines empirical research on the identity construction of Chinese K-12 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers since 2000. Departing from previous reviews confined to English-language databases, this study synthesises 52 empirical studies from both English and Chinese sources by thematic analysis, offering a more comprehensive analysis of the field. Findings reveal six major teacher cohorts explored in the literature: cross-border teachers/overseas returnees, novice teachers, participants in university-school collaborations, private-sector educators, second-career teachers, and rural practitioners. Two dominant research approaches emerge: one examines how teachers construct multiple identity categories to navigate diverse contexts, and the other traces the development of identity trajectories over time in response to various influencing factors. Discussion thereafter centres on these factors spanning three interrelated levels: the micro-level of individual experiences, the meso-level of institutional contexts, and the macro-level of sociocultural dynamics. To advance the field, the study advocates for identity-informed interventions in teacher education and calls for longitudinal, cross-generational research on the evolution of identity. The review concludes by urging teacher educators, policymakers, and researchers to integrate EFL teacher identity as a central consideration in future pedagogical practice, policy development, and scholarly inquiry.

Keywords:

EFL Teacher Identity; Teacher Identity Construction; Language Teacher Identity; Language Teacher Development; Systematic Review; K-12; China

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Huang, J., Cheong, H. F., & Perumal, T. (2025). Identity Construction of K-12 EFL Teachers in China: A Systematic Review. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(11), 155 –. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i11.11356

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Vol. 7 , Iss. 11 (November 2025): In progress

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