Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course
Benefits of teachers’ autoethnographies are well-documented in current research. This study adds to the research literature by directly analyzing how the insights gained through writing autoethnographic essays may impact second language (L2) teachers’ classrooms. To collect the data, the study incor...
Main Authors: | , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Park University
2023-07-01
|
Series: | InSight |
_version_ | 1797775029682831360 |
---|---|
author | Ekaterina Arshavskaya Nefi Reyes de la Paz |
author_facet | Ekaterina Arshavskaya Nefi Reyes de la Paz |
author_sort | Ekaterina Arshavskaya |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Benefits of teachers’ autoethnographies are well-documented in current research. This study adds to the research literature by directly analyzing how the insights gained through writing autoethnographic essays may impact second language (L2) teachers’ classrooms. To collect the data, the study incorporated autoethnographic essays into a graduate course for language teachers and asked the participating teachers to design lessons that reflected the insights they gained about themselves through this project. Adopting the transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978, 1997) that scaffolds teachers’ self-reflection, this paper explores the transformative potential of teachers’ autoethnographies through tracking qualitative changes in the teachers’ narratives and practice across one academic semester. The results show that as a learning tool, autoethnographies can facilitate teachers’ developing more empowering teaching identities and have a potential for enhancing their teaching practices. The paper adds empirical evidence and a new perspective in the investigation of teacher learning. It concludes with pedagogical and research implications for L2 teacher education. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:28:55Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-9f1497c71d444e259e3f01dbd40b9d8f |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1933-4850 1933-4869 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:28:55Z |
publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
publisher | Park University |
record_format | Article |
series | InSight |
spelling | doaj.art-9f1497c71d444e259e3f01dbd40b9d8f2023-07-21T18:26:58ZengPark UniversityInSight1933-48501933-48692023-07-0118264010.46504/18202302arExploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education CourseEkaterina ArshavskayaNefi Reyes de la PazBenefits of teachers’ autoethnographies are well-documented in current research. This study adds to the research literature by directly analyzing how the insights gained through writing autoethnographic essays may impact second language (L2) teachers’ classrooms. To collect the data, the study incorporated autoethnographic essays into a graduate course for language teachers and asked the participating teachers to design lessons that reflected the insights they gained about themselves through this project. Adopting the transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978, 1997) that scaffolds teachers’ self-reflection, this paper explores the transformative potential of teachers’ autoethnographies through tracking qualitative changes in the teachers’ narratives and practice across one academic semester. The results show that as a learning tool, autoethnographies can facilitate teachers’ developing more empowering teaching identities and have a potential for enhancing their teaching practices. The paper adds empirical evidence and a new perspective in the investigation of teacher learning. It concludes with pedagogical and research implications for L2 teacher education. |
spellingShingle | Ekaterina Arshavskaya Nefi Reyes de la Paz Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course InSight |
title | Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course |
title_full | Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course |
title_fullStr | Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course |
title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course |
title_short | Exploring the Transformative Impact of Language Teachers’ Autoethnographies in a Teacher Education Course |
title_sort | exploring the transformative impact of language teachers autoethnographies in a teacher education course |
work_keys_str_mv | AT ekaterinaarshavskaya exploringthetransformativeimpactoflanguageteachersautoethnographiesinateachereducationcourse AT nefireyesdelapaz exploringthetransformativeimpactoflanguageteachersautoethnographiesinateachereducationcourse |