Startseite Exploring identities of novice mainland Chinese teachers in Hong Kong: Insights from teaching creative writing at primary schools across borders
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Exploring identities of novice mainland Chinese teachers in Hong Kong: Insights from teaching creative writing at primary schools across borders

  • (Mark) Feng Teng ORCID logo EMAIL logo und Jesse W. C. YIP
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 14. Juni 2019
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Applied Linguistics Review
Aus der Zeitschrift Applied Linguistics Review Band 13 Heft 1

Abstract

This study, drawing upon data triangulated from interviews, classroom research reports, and school documents, sheds light on how cross-border teachers from mainland China to Hong Kong construct and negotiate their identities when teaching English creative writing. Using identity control theory (ICT) this study examines discursive and complex identity development and reveals contextual and interpersonal factors that hinder identity construction among teachers of English creative writing. Factors include isolation from local colleagues, failure to integrate into the host community due to cultural and linguistic differences, standardized school instruction, heavy workloads, students’ distrust, and students’ low English proficiency. Cross-border teachers were found to experience negative emotions including stress, anger, and unease due to failed teacher identity verification in a new land. This study contributes to theoretical knowledge of ICT, suggesting inaction and secondary emotions as outcomes of the incongruence between the meanings of identity standard and input. Relevant theoretical and pedagogical implications are also discussed.

Keywords: creative writing; cross-border teachers; English; identity control theory; teacher identity

  1. Compliance with Ethical Standards

  2. Conflict of Interest The author declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Appendix

Sample questions for interviews

First round of interview

  1. How do you describe your life experience in mainland China?

  2. How do you describe your life and work experience in Hong Kong?

    Any incidents you’d like to share with us?

Second round of interview

  1. What does the school require you to do as a teacher of English creative writing?

  2. How do you feel about yourself, your relationship with your colleagues and your students?

  3. How do you feel about your work while teaching English creative writing?

  4. What roles do you perceive yourself filling in both your personal life and career?

Third round of interview

  1. How do you describe your years of experience in teaching English creative writing in Hong Kong?

  2. How do you cope with the difficulties in teaching creative writing?

  3. Can you share your reflections on your life and work experiences in Hong Kong with us?

  4. Can you summarize your emotional development and identity development throughout your years of experience in Hong Kong?

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Published Online: 2019-06-14
Published in Print: 2022-01-27

© 2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Point of View
  3. On reelecting monolingualism: Fortification, fragility, and stamina
  4. Research Articles
  5. Learning Korean honorifics through individual and collaborative writing tasks and written corrective feedback
  6. Young L2 learners’ online processing of information in a graded reader during reading-only and reading-while-listening conditions: A study of eye-movements
  7. Exploring identities of novice mainland Chinese teachers in Hong Kong: Insights from teaching creative writing at primary schools across borders
  8. Attitudinal bias, individual differences, and second language speakers’ interactional performance
  9. Effects of self-regulated learning strategy use on motivation in EFL writing: A comparison between high and low achievers in Hong Kong primary schools
  10. Bilinguals and knowledge of language: a commentary to “Language Acquisition and Linguistic Theory”
https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2018-0128
Schlagwörter für diesen Artikel
creative writing; cross-border teachers; English; identity control theory; teacher identity

Artikel in diesem Heft

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Point of View
  3. On reelecting monolingualism: Fortification, fragility, and stamina
  4. Research Articles
  5. Learning Korean honorifics through individual and collaborative writing tasks and written corrective feedback
  6. Young L2 learners’ online processing of information in a graded reader during reading-only and reading-while-listening conditions: A study of eye-movements
  7. Exploring identities of novice mainland Chinese teachers in Hong Kong: Insights from teaching creative writing at primary schools across borders
  8. Attitudinal bias, individual differences, and second language speakers’ interactional performance
  9. Effects of self-regulated learning strategy use on motivation in EFL writing: A comparison between high and low achievers in Hong Kong primary schools
  10. Bilinguals and knowledge of language: a commentary to “Language Acquisition and Linguistic Theory”
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