Professional Identity Development of Chinese EFL Student Teachers through Practicum

Abstract

Purpose: Against the backdrop of China’s demand for highly qualified EFL teachers, this study investigates the dynamic development of professional identity among Chinese EFL student teachers before, during, and after their teaching practicum. Pennington and Richards’ framework of competences of language teacher identity serves as the conceptual basis. Within this framework, the study investigates eight categories of language teacher identity specifically in the context of the Chinese practicum. Four EFL student teachers were selected as participants, and data collection involved in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis. Findings:  The findings suggest that the teaching practicum has multiple benefits for EFL student teachers in terms of enhancing their competences as language teachers and developing their professional identities. Additionally, this study reveals the dynamic nature of professional identity development among EFL student teachers at different stages. The professional identities of Chinese EFL student teachers evolve from imagined identities prior to the practicum to identities in practice during the practicum, and then to reconstructed identities after the practicum, leading to a progressive understanding of themselves and the teaching profession. Conclusions and Recommendations: The discussion concludes with implications for EFL student teacher education within the Chinese educational landscape.