Identity Re-construction: An Autoethnographic Inquiry of an Experienced Non-Native English Speaking Teacher in an English-Dominant Country

This inquiry is an evocative autoethnography (Ellis & Bochner, 2000) exploring the complexity of professional identity re-construction of an experienced Non-Native English Speaking Teacher (NNEST) who began teaching in an English-dominant country. Through vignettes describing incidents during the author’s first year of teaching English in Canada, and drawing on Palmer’s (1998) notions of identity and integrity, research on NNEST, and identity theorizing in language education literature, the study examines internal and external factors that may impact NNES teacher identity re-construction in an English as a second language teaching context. External factors affecting the author’s identity re-construction were linked to relations with, and positioning by, students and other members of the school community as well as broader discourses around NNEST circulating across English language teaching settings. The study points to previous teaching experiences, positioning of self and establishing a close relationship with one’s inner self as internal factors impacting this experienced teacher’s identity re-construction. Autoethnographic work as a means to contribute to teacher identity re-construction is also discussed.