Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher

Metaphor and metaphorical expressions are phenomena of interest in teacher education research and research on teacher identity. However, little attention has been given to teaching of English to young learners (TEYL) teachers’ metaphorical expressions, and what these expressions might tell us about...

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Main Authors: Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa, Abd Samad, Arshad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2018
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/74949/1/Metaphors.pdf
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author Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa
Abd Samad, Arshad
author_facet Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa
Abd Samad, Arshad
author_sort Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa
collection UPM
description Metaphor and metaphorical expressions are phenomena of interest in teacher education research and research on teacher identity. However, little attention has been given to teaching of English to young learners (TEYL) teachers’ metaphorical expressions, and what these expressions might tell us about their identities and experiences. This study explores the metaphorical expression constructed by an experienced teacher to describe what it means to be a TEYL teacher in the ESL context. Data were gathered from semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews, and a metaphor elicitation prompt: ‘Who do you see yourself as a teacher?’ The results revealed that while the metaphorical expression of ‘mother’ stands out as a concept that associates teaching with being nurturing, the teacher’s enactment of other roles; projected as ‘knowledge provider’, ‘law enforcer’, and ‘facilitator’, is more strongly oriented to the behaviourist idea of teaching. These findings shed light on the role of identity in expanding the in-service teachers’ perspective of teachers and teaching using self-constructed metaphors. A major recommendation of this study is that teacher educators need to promote reflective practice in TESL teacher training to critically explore the concept of knowledge about self.
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spelling upm.eprints-749492019-11-28T05:42:46Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/74949/ Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa Abd Samad, Arshad Metaphor and metaphorical expressions are phenomena of interest in teacher education research and research on teacher identity. However, little attention has been given to teaching of English to young learners (TEYL) teachers’ metaphorical expressions, and what these expressions might tell us about their identities and experiences. This study explores the metaphorical expression constructed by an experienced teacher to describe what it means to be a TEYL teacher in the ESL context. Data were gathered from semi-structured interviews, stimulated recall interviews, and a metaphor elicitation prompt: ‘Who do you see yourself as a teacher?’ The results revealed that while the metaphorical expression of ‘mother’ stands out as a concept that associates teaching with being nurturing, the teacher’s enactment of other roles; projected as ‘knowledge provider’, ‘law enforcer’, and ‘facilitator’, is more strongly oriented to the behaviourist idea of teaching. These findings shed light on the role of identity in expanding the in-service teachers’ perspective of teachers and teaching using self-constructed metaphors. A major recommendation of this study is that teacher educators need to promote reflective practice in TESL teacher training to critically explore the concept of knowledge about self. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2018 Article NonPeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/74949/1/Metaphors.pdf Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa and Abd Samad, Arshad (2018) Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 24 (4). 143 - 157. ISSN 0128-5157 http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l/article/view/24003 10.17576/3L-2018-2404-11
spellingShingle Ahmad, Norhakimah Khaiessa
Abd Samad, Arshad
Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title_full Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title_fullStr Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title_full_unstemmed Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title_short Metaphors as proxies for identity: a case study of a teaching English to young learners (TEYL) teacher
title_sort metaphors as proxies for identity a case study of a teaching english to young learners teyl teacher
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/74949/1/Metaphors.pdf
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