Page 14 - R&KT Flipping Book - Issue 5, Dec 2016

Trending research

Challenge and Identity of
Issue FIve
New English Teachers

“The project will examine the challenges that early career teachers (ECTs)
confront as they construct their identity as professional English language
teachers.”

Dr John Trent, Associate Professor,
Department of English Language Education

Many young people aspire to become teachers.
But studies have shown that often within three
years of beginning working at school, 30 per
cent of Early Career Teachers decide to switch to
other careers. In Hong Kong, a heavy workload,
stress, and young teachers unable to build a
professional identity can lead to burnout and a
crisis of confidence.

In this research project: “The identity construction experiences The results of this study will have implications for the design of school-based
of novice English language teachers in Hong Kong”, the Principal teacher induction programmes for English language teachers within Asian
educational settings, such as Hong Kong.
Investigator Dr John Trent, Associate Professor at the Department
of English Language Education, will undertake comprehensive
Teachers will be asked what motivated them to pursue this career,
interviews with 10 Early Career English Language Teachers (ECELT)
and then look at their teaching methods and beliefs, the challenges
to track their experience working in Hong Kong schools.
they face and how they might overcome them and the support
or lack thereof provided by their schools. Dr Trent and his team
"The project will examine the challenges that early career teachers
will film and record the language lessons. He will also interview
(ECTs) confront as they construct their identity as professional
experienced teachers to explore their experiences of mentoring the
English language teachers,” said Dr Trent.
Early Career Teachers.
Raising Awareness
For his three-year study from January 2016 to December 2018, Minimising Attrition Rates
Dr Trent will conduct initial interviews with 10 English teacher Dr Trent will use the research data to contribute to minimising the
volunteers, plus interviews every three months with each one. The number of early career English language teachers leaving their jobs
participants’ background will vary from being fresh out of training in Hong Kong schools through giving them, the school authorities
up to those having five years of experience. and teacher training institutions a more detailed understanding
of the “constraints and enablements to the identity development
of ECELTs and by equipping these teachers with contextualised
strategies for the construction of their preferred professional
identities”.
Dr Trent will also hold seminars at higher education institutions to
help ensure that there is not only training for teachers before they
start their jobs but increased on-the-job support in schools at the
"The project will examine the challenges initial stages of their career.
that early career teachers (ECTs) confront as
they construct their identity as professional
“The results of this study will have implications for the design of
English language teachers,” said Dr Trent.
school-based teacher induction programmes for English language
teachers within Asian educational settings, such as Hong Kong.”

14 R & KT News