Transnational language teachers’ emotional vulnerability and professional identity construction: an ecological perspective

Abstract

Despite the recent growth of attention to language teachers’ emotional vulnerability, little research has explored emotional vulnerability and identity construction among transnational teachers. Drawing on an ecological theoretical lens, we explored the emotional vulnerability and professional identity construction of transnational language teachers working in the context of Turkey. Data were collected from open-ended questionnaires, narrative frames, and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis revealed that across the three classroom (micro), institutional (meso), and sociocultural (macro) ecologies, the transnational teachers experienced contextually-invoked emotional conflicts that positioned their identities in a vulnerable state. Most notably, we found that transnational teachers need to become contextually adaptable to the three ecologies in order to develop professional coping strategies that safeguard them against the chronicle stressors of their profession and context. We situate such adaptability within implications calling for holding preparatory courses that facilitate transnational teachers’ transition to the new setting with the hope of positively contributing to their effective professional identity construction.

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