GLOBAL ENGLISHES AND THE DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THAI ENGLISH TEACHER IDENTITY

Abstract

Understanding the formation of a language teacher identity has become crucial for effective language instruction, particularly in the Global Englishes (GE) paradigm, as teacher identity informs numerous aspects of pedagogic decisions. This study aimed to explore how English teacher identity is discursively constructed against the backdrop of the GE paradigm and to identify which teachers are more likely to adopt this GE-informed pedagogy in their classrooms. Utilizing a narrative inquiry design, the study employed life story interviews, classroom observations, and focus group discussions on the GE paradigm to understand how teachers perceived their identities within the GE paradigm. The target participants in this study were four in-service Thai English teachers working at a secondary school in northeastern Thailand. The participants were purposively selected from diverse backgrounds to ensure representation in terms of gender, English language learning, teaching experience, and overseas experience. The results of this study showed that the participants developed their initial identities as educators based on early interests in English during childhood or their primary school education. During years of formal learning, they cultivated an appreciation for the American accent through foreign English teachers and popular media. However, exposure to different varieties of GE has led to the development of their identities, allowing them to accept linguistic diversity and change their perceptions of English usage. Additionally, the results showed that teachers with prior real-life interaction and communication with socio-culturally diverse English users who had received adequate formal training were more likely to implement GE-related pedagogy than those who had not. This highlights the crucial role of teacher professional development in implementing GE-informed pedagogy.

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