Gaining favorable identities of Iranian EFL teachers: a single case study of transition from elementary schools to universities

Adopting the self-concept framework as a lens and interpretative case study as a methodological tool, the present study set out to examine how the professional identity of an elementary school teacher is socially (re) constructed while his transition from teaching at elementary schools to teach at universities. The design of the study was the intrinsic case study. The focal participant was an assistant professor of TEFL who has been teaching in elementary, middle, and high schools prior to starting his academic work 10 years ago. For the purpose of the data collection, in-depth interview was conducted. Another source of the data was the participant’s stories, as well as the diaries he had kept over the years. For the data analysis, thematic analysis was employed. Results indicate that the transition was seen to be in parallel with the transition from lower identity perception to higher identity perception. The transition can be best expressed in terms of identity promotion. The results indicate that the transitions were two main and noticeable ones. The data analyses also indicate that three themes, including personal-self, social self, and learners were the driving forces for the case’s professional identity development. The study has a number of implications for teacher education, policymakers, and teachers.