Understanding changes in teacher beliefs and identity formation: A case study of three novice teachers in Hong Kong

Jing Peter HUANG, Yi WANG, Feng TENG

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Novice teachers often undergo an identity shift from learner to teacher. Along this process, their instructional beliefs change considerably which in turn affect their teacher identity formation. Drawing on data collected mainly through interviews with three novice English teachers for more than one year, the present study examines their first-year teaching experience in Hong Kong secondary schools, focusing on changes of their English teaching beliefs and the impact of these changes on their identity construction. Findings reveal that while the teachers’ initial teaching beliefs were largely shaped in their prior school learning and learning-to-teach experience, these beliefs changed and were reshaped a great deal when encountering various contextual realities, and these changes further influenced their views on their teacher identity establishment, unfortunately in a more negative than positive direction. The study sheds light on the importance of institutional support in affording opportunities for novice teachers’ workplace learning and professional development. Copyright © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)193-207
JournalTeaching Education
Volume32
Issue number2
Early online dateDec 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Citation

Huang, J., Wang, Y., & Teng, F. (2021). Understanding changes in teacher beliefs and identity formation: A case study of three novice teachers in Hong Kong. Teaching Education, 32(2), 193-207. doi: 10.1080/10476210.2019.1693535

Keywords

  • Novice teachers
  • Teacher beliefs
  • Teacher identity
  • Teacher education

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