Student and teacher identity perceptions in 4 European countries

1. Student and teacher identity perceptions in 4 European countries Dr Florentina Taylor florentina.taylor@york.ac.uk University of York, UK Drs Barbara Roosken b.roosken@fontys.nl Fontys University, the Netherlands

2. Project funded by the British Council (English Language Teaching Research Partnership 2011-2012) • Research team • Dr Florentina Taylor, University of York, UK (principal investigator) • Dr Emma Marsden, University of York, UK • Drs Barbara Roosken, Fontys University, the Netherlands • Dr Vera Busse, Carl von Ossietzky Universität, Germany • Mrs LubinaGagova, University of Sofia, Bulgaria 2/30

3. Rationale Theoretical model Current project Provisional results Lessons learnt Outline 3/30

4. Rationale www.enational.ro 4/30

5. Rationale www.enational.ro 5/30

6. Rationale www.infobraila.ro www.infobraila.ro www.enational.ro 6/30

7. Rationale www.infobraila.ro www.enational.ro http://www.lf2.cuni.cz 7/30

8. Theoretical modelPremises Premise 1:Self-presentation theory (e.g., Leary, 1995; Schlenker, 2003) • Private self = what I believe I am • Public self = what (I want) you (to) think I am • Self-presentation = context-dependent public self display 8/30

9. Theoretical modelPremises Premise 2: Self-discrepancy theory (e.g., Higgins, 1987) • Actual self = what I am • Ideal self = what I would like to be • Ought self = what you would like me to be • Self-discrepancy = (ideal self) – (actual self) 9/30

10. Internal External Possible IDEAL IMPOSED Actual PRIVATE PUBLIC Internal Theoretical modelComponents A quadripolar model of identity (Taylor, 2010) 10/30

11. Imposed Imposed Imposed Ideal peers teacher family teacher teacher friends teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher teacher family family family family family peers peers peers peers peers peers peers peers peers friends friends friends friends friends friends Ideal Ideal Text teacher Private Private teacher teacher family peers Public Theoretical modelRelational contexts in adolescence 11/30

12. Theoretical modelSelf systems Ideal Imposed Ideal Imposed Private Public Private Public Submissive Duplicitous 12/30

13. Theoretical modelSelf systems Ideal Imposed Ideal ~ Imposed Private Public Private ~ Public Rebellious Harmonious 13/30

14. Current project Identity in foreign language learning and teaching: A comparison of four European countries (e.g., Taylor et al., 2012) • Cross-sectional online survey (closed and open items) • 4 countries: Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain • Identity perceptions in learning and teaching • English as a foreign language (students aged 15-19) • Mathematics (control subject) 14/30

15. Current project Research focus • Students: quadripolar self system; feelings of appreciation by the teacher; perceived competence; declared achievement; identity differences in learning English/ Maths and other subjects (open-ended) • Teachers:appreciation of students; feelings of appreciation by students, colleagues and headteachers; perceived competence; identity differences in learning/ teaching English/ Maths and other subjects (open-ended) 15/30

16. Provisional results Participants @ 17/03/2012 (data collection in progress) *Most students took part in both surveys. 16/30

17. Provisional results EnglishMaths teacher peers teacher peers .55 .64 .62 .74 Self correlations public/ imposed All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed 17/30

18. Provisional results EnglishMaths teacher peers teacher peers .55 .24 .64 .14 .62 .26 .74 .17 Self correlations public/ imposed public/ private All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed

19. Provisional results EnglishMaths Student self perceptions: Teacher relational context 19/30

20. (All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed) 5/35

21. (All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed) 5/35

22. (All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed) 5/35

23. (All sig. p < 0.01, 2-tailed) 5/35

24. What can teachers do? Maths? 24/30 • Allow students to be ‘themselves’ in class. • Appreciate them as real individuals. • Encourage them to discuss/ write about personally relevant issues. • language development • identity development • social development

25. What can schools do? 25/30 • Allow teachers to be ‘themselves’. • Appreciate them as real individuals. • Encourage an atmosphere where the students’ and teachers’ voices are heard and cherished.

26. Lessons learntThe Netherlands: Ethical dilemmas What you see is what you get… 26/30

27. Lessons learntThe Netherlands: Ethical dilemmas participatory approach; who are the stakeholders? who are the observers and the analysts? a continual discussion about the ways in which the stakeholders, in this case my trainee teachers could contribute to the project and the effect their participation will have on the outcome; 27/30

28. Lessons learntThe Netherlands: Ethical dilemmas make sure that all those involved are participating voluntarily and that they are aware they can terminate their participation at any point; ensure that everybody fully understands their individual roles and responsibilities. 28/30

29. References Higgins, T. E. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94(3), 319-340. Leary, M. R. (1995). Self-presentation: Impression management and interpersonal behavior. Madison, WI: Brown & Benchmark. Schlenker, B. R. (2003). Self-presentation. In M. R. Leary and J. P. Tangney (Eds.). Handbook of self and identity (pp. 492-518). New York: Guildford Press. Taylor, F. (2010). A quadripolar model of identity in adolescent foreign language learners (Unpublished PhD thesis). University of Nottingham.   Taylor, F., Busse, V., Gagova, L., Marsden, E., & Roosken, B. (forthcoming, 2012). Identity and foreign language learning: Why listening to our students’ and teachers’ voices really does matter. British Council ELT Research Papers. 29/30

30. Thank you !