Language Teacher Identities: Co-constructing Discourse and Community (New Perspectives on Language and Education)

Set in the rapidly changing world of the contemporary United Arab Emirates and bringing together detailed linguistic analysis with cutting edge social theory, this book explores the development of the first cohort of students to complete a new Bachelor of Education in English language teaching, theorizing the students’ learning to teach in terms of the discursive construction of a teaching identity within an evolving community of practice. Both a study of the influence of issues such as gender and nationalism in language teacher education in the Middle East, as well as of the power of discourse and community in shaping identity, this book will be of relevance to anyone working in teacher education as well as to those with an interest in theorizations of discourse and identity.

Currently an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong, Matthew Clarke led the development and implementation of the new Bachelor of Education at the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates between 1999 and 2006. Prior to working in teacher education, he taught in primary schools and language centres in the UK and Australia. His research interests include discourse analysis, identity, social theory, cultural studies and philosophy as well as language and literacy education.