The Teacher Identity Construction Journey of a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant

Abstract

Teacher identity is a dynamic and multifaceted construct, which is shaped by personal experiences, belief systems, and institutional contexts. This study explores the identity formation of a beginner language teacher who worked as a Turkish Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) in the United States. The research adopted a narrative inquiry method and the data was obtained through observation notes and reflective journals. The paper provides insight into how the novice teacher navigated linguistic, cultural, and institutional challenges in the U.S. context. The research is grounded in Kelchtermans’ (1993) framework, which conceptualizes teacher identity through five dimensions; namely, self-image, self-esteem, task perception, job motivation, and future perspective. The findings highlight the way professional identity evolved in response to lived experiences, revealing processes of emotional adjustment, pedagogical growth, and intercultural negotiation. This study emphasizes the significance of personal experience in promoting reflective practice, resilience, and a deeper understanding of teaching as an inherently personal and intercultural act.

Keywords

• professional teacher identity
• professional development
• intercultural teaching
• narrative inquiry
• Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA)

Bir Fulbright Yabancı Dil Öğretim Asistanının Öğretmen Kimliği Oluşum Süreci

Abstract

Öğretmen kimliği, kişisel deneyimler, inanç sistemleri ve kurumsal bağlamlar tarafından şekillenen dinamik ve çok boyutlu bir yapıdır. Bu çalışma, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde Fulbright Türkçe Yabancı Dil Asistanı (FLTA) olarak görev yapan yeni bir dil öğretmeninin kimlik oluşum sürecini incelemektedir. Araştırmada anlatı araştırması (narrative inquiry) yöntemi benimsenmiş ve veriler gözlem notları ile yansıtıcı günlükler aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Makale, yeni başlayan bir öğretmenin ABD bağlamında karşılaştığı dilsel, kültürel ve kurumsal zorluklarla nasıl başa çıktığına dair bir bakış sunmaktadır. Araştırma, öğretmen kimliğini beş boyutta kavramsallaştıran Kelchtermans’ın (1993) çerçevesine dayanmaktadır: öz-imge, özsaygı, görev algısı, mesleki motivasyon ve geleceğe bakış. Bulgular, öğretmen kimliğinin yaşantılara bağlı olarak nasıl evrildiğini ortaya koyarak duygusal uyum, pedagojik gelişim ve kültürlerarası müzakere süreçlerini gözler önüne sermektedir. Bu çalışma, kişisel deneyimin yansıtıcı uygulama, dayanıklılık ve öğretmenliğin özünde kişisel ve kültürlerarası bir eylem olduğunu kavrama açısından taşıdığı önemi vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

• profesyonel öğretmen kimliği
• mesleki gelişim
• kültürlerarası öğretim
• anlatı araştırması
• Yabancı Dil Öğretim Asistanı (FLTA)

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