English Language Teachers’ Foreign Experience And Identity Development: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate how teaching experiences in foreign contexts impact the professional identities of Pakistani English language teachers. To conduct this study, a rigorous qualitative research design was employed to delve into the experiences and perceptions of participants in depth: semi-structured interviews were conducted. The participants were English Language teachers from various regions of Pakistan who possessed foreign teaching experience. The interview questionnaire was shared beforehand to help participants prepare and reflect on their[1] past experiences.  Thematic analysis a robust method for identifying patterns, themes and trends was employed to extract meaningful insights and draw conclusions from the participants' experiences and perceptions.  The findings of this study suggest that foreign teaching experience has positively shaped the identities of Pakistani teachers and led to the transformation of their roles from traditional teachers to adopting new roles such as teacher researchers, expert language teachers, and change agents.