Bothainh Mansoor Alturki
Department of English Language, Majmaah University, College of Education, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
Majed Abdullah Alharbi
Department of English Language, Majmaah University, College of Education, Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
This qualitative case study investigates factors that (re)shape the professional identities of Saudi female English language teachers and examines how the length of their teaching experience influences their pedagogical approach. This study used a triangulation approach to collect data from five Saudi female EFL teachers and applied thematic analysis for data analysis. Results indicate that each Saudi female EFL teacher had unique factors that contributed to shaping and developing their professional identities, such as their professional background, learning experience, institutional influence, and professional development opportunities. Additionally, the length of teaching experience played a significant role in constructing their professional identities. Finally, a relationship existed between the micro and macro factors that contributed to the formation of their professional identities and pedagogical approaches. The study's findings contribute to the ongoing local and global dialogue on the role of identity in language teacher education as it expands on Norton’s idea that identity construction is a fundamental aspect of professionally becoming a teacher. It offers practical insights for students, educators, administrators, and policymakers in developing the professional identities of English language teachers.
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Copyright © 2024 Bothainh Mansoor Alturki, Majed Abdullah Alharbi
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