'Of course I have changed!': A narrative inquiry of foreign teachers’ professional identities in Shenzhen, China

Abstract

Drawing on narrative inquiry and positioning theory this paper explores the professional identities of eight early years EFL (English Foreign Language) teachers working in Shenzhen, China. Interview data revealed that teachers draw on similar positions or categories to name and describe themselves and others. Simultaneously, adopting and rejecting positions, they create and negotiate multiple identity constructions. These constructions not only capture the teachers' interpretations of who they are in a foreign place but also provide insights into elements of the Chinese environment that affect the teachers’ narrated experience. These findings have implications for policy makers, recruiters, administrators, and teacher educators.