Teacher identity in TESOL

This paper looks into the challenges and prospects of implementing teaching of English to speakers of other languages(TESOL) approaches in Nigeria against the background of the Nigerian National Policy on Education (2004) which legitimise the teaching of English as a the official language. The review paper is a shift from the usual approach of examining the teaching of English as a Second Language(TESL) to teaching of English to Speakers of other Languages(TESOL).The two approaches recognize previous knowledge of English language but TESOL has a wider conceptual view. However, challenges of TESOL are highlighted in order to call the attention of stakeholders. The challenges of TESOL require urgent attention as previous studies have dwelt much on prospects which are interrelated with functions of English and importance of teaching English as a Second Language.

This paper examines the evolving landscape of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in Pakistan. It analyzes the interplay between historical legacies, policy directives, teacher education, and global pedagogical trends. Although English holds the status of an official language and functions as a medium of instruction across various tiers of the education system, the implementation of TESOL in Pakistan remains fraught with challenges. These include inconsistent language policies, lack of alignment between curriculum and classroom realities, inadequate teacher preparation, urban–rural disparities, and limited access to sustained professional development opportunities. This study highlights how institutional frameworks have historically shaped the quality of English language instruction, and how recent efforts—such as PakTESOL initiatives and capacity-building programs funded by the U.S. Embassy and Regional English Language Office (RELO)—are attempting to professionalize TESOL in the country. The paper discusses how context-sensitive teacher training, inclusive curriculum development, and reflective pedagogical practices can help reorient TESOL towards local needs while maintaining global relevance. The growing integration of educational technology and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is evaluated as a transformative factor in expanding access to language instruction, particularly in under-resourced regions. Critical pedagogy is also considered essential for empowering teachers and learners to engage with English in ways that support equity, identity, and meaningful communication. The paper concludes by offering practical and research-informed recommendations for strengthening TESOL in Pakistan. It also advocates for collaborative policy-making, initiate more teacher education programs, and equitable resource distribution. This study contributes to a sustainable, contextually aware TESOL framework that addresses Pakistan’s linguistic, social, and educational complexities.

In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), studies and scholarly publications questioning the NEST/NNEST (Native-English-Speaker Teacher/ Non-native-English-Speaker Teacher) dichotomy have steadily increased over the last 25 years. This dichotomy has resulted in discriminatory practices against NNESTs, underpinning the contested assumption that native speaker status should be the gold standard in TESOL. This study explores how this problematic perception plays out in the specific context of the Preparatory Year Programs (PYP) in two Saudi universities. This study, based on the analysis of 18 teacher interviews, examines the lived experiences of university English teachers, both native and non-native, locally and internationally recruited, working in the same programs. This paper discusses two themes: the participants’ qualifications and their beliefs about the main reason why they were recruited. The data indicate that only a few teachers believe that being a NS is the main factor in being hired whereas the majority believe that qualifications are the most important requirements for job recruitment. As the most required and obtained certificate for English Language Teaching (ELT) in the PYP, The Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) does appear to replace the NS status requirement based on the participants’ opinions. However, CELTA does not escape criticism as an English teaching qualification. The study argues that buying into the CELTA requirement perpetuates colonialism in ELT..

The United Nations’ Education 2030 Framework (2015) clearly stated that initial teacher-training should be enhanced to support education for sustainable development (ESD) practice. Instrumental to the acquisition of ESD learning objectives and key competencies is the advancement of trainee-teachers as agents of change (Mundy et al, 2008). Holding knowledge of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and transformative pedagogies for ESD enables educators to positively contribute to their communities. Trainee-teachers of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are preparing to teach in a diversity of countries yet the inclusion of ESD in their training is not visible. This case study reports on the utilisation of the CoDesignS ESD Toolkit Planner (‘Toolkit’) for the learning design of a 15-credit module titled Introduction to embedding sustainability in TEFL and TESOL. The module aims to enable trainee-teachers to develop an understanding of the implications of local, national, regional, and global learning contexts upon their teaching practice. Micro-teaching was developed as part of the module to provide trainee-teachers with opportunities to tailor their pedagogical practice to the needs of their learners. The intended outcome of the learning design was to enable the trainee-teachers to feel better equipped to incorporate localised sustainability issues into their classes without detracting from delivering authentic English language learning. This case study report reflects upon the effectiveness of the design in achieving its goals at the completion of a first term of delivery to final year TEFL undergraduates and first term TESOL and Applied Linguistics postgraduates at the University of Essex, UK.

Based on a year-long, qualitative study of five East Asian women, pre-service teachers enrolled in U.S. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teacher education programs, this article examines one Korean woman's journey as she navigates through her multiple identities as a daughter, spouse, mother, and language teacher inside and outside of Korea and the United States. In narrative accounts audiotaped during in-depth interviews conducted over a period of seven months, Han Nah shared experiences that have been shaped by her gendered identities while also being transformed by these identities. Han Nah's identities are viewed as a site of struggle in multiple contexts: (1) Han Nah was influenced by how her parents positioned her as a traditional Korean woman in the larger Korean patriarchal society, which in turn impacted her own decisions navigating through both Korean and U.S. educational and professional contexts; and (2) Han Nah's “mothering” and “spousal” identities influenced and somewhat superseded her professional aspirations, which led Han Nah to claim her dominant language and race in the Western educational system. This article concludes with TESOL teacher education implications.

The field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) brings people from various racialized backgrounds together in teaching, learning, and research. The idea of race, racialization, and racism are inescapable topics that arise in the contact zones created by teaching English worldwide and thus are valid topics to explore in the field. Nonetheless, unlike our peer fields such as anthropology, education, and sociology, the field of TESOL has not sufficiently addressed the idea of race and related concepts. This special topic issue is one of the first attempts in our field to fill the gap. This introductory article will survey key concepts and theories defined and debated in various fields, including race, ethnicity, culture, racialization, racism, critical race theory, and critical White studies, to provide a foundation for future explorations.

Reflective practice has been around the field of TESOL for some time now, with most educators in agreement that some form of reflection is desirable. However, there is still not much agreement of what reflective practice is or how it should be operationalized within the field of TESOL. The danger is that because it has reached a status of near orthodoxy, it may have become a ritualized and mechanical method far different than its original intention to empower teachers. Such is the motivation for this Special Issue devoted current applications to the concept of reflective practice in the field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL). I begin with a trip down my own memory lane as I reflect on reflective practice to see where we are with the seven papers included in the issue, and where we should move forward with this interesting, yet complex topic of reflective practice in TESOL.

The rapid advancement of information technology and ongoing education reforms have introduced smart education as an innovative teaching model. This study aims to explore the application and impact of smart education platforms in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) within four junior high schools in China. Through a detailed analysis of questionnaire responses from English language teachers, the study investigates the impact of these platforms on teaching practices. Results indicate that using smart teaching platforms has increased teachers’ engagement, motivation, and satisfaction. Additionally, teachers have reported a deeper understanding of smart education concepts, improved practical teaching skills, and overall professional development. Despite these benefits, the study highlights the challenges of implementing smart education platforms. The findings suggest that while smart education platforms can potentially enhance TESOL effectiveness, further improvements, and extensive research are necessary to optimize their use fully.

This article presents select findings from a case study about applied theatre at a school for girls with refugee backgrounds in the United States. The data were collected through direct observations, semi‐structured interviews, and analysis of students' work. The study uses an intersectional analysis to explore relationships between gender, race, heritage cultures, and language use in arts‐based activities. The author describes one assignment in which students researched a woman from history and then wrote and performed a first‐person monologue from this person's point of view. The researcher discusses ways that the assignment's structure limited students' choices about whom to learn about and portray. In particular, the assignment centered gender over other aspects of students' identities related to heritage cultures, heritage languages, and race. Findings are also reported from interviews with students about how they navigated these parameters and their experiences as writers and performers. Finally, the author considers ways audiences may shape the narratives students are encouraged to tell. Findings highlight ways arts‐based practices directly and indirectly influenced the narratives students with refugee backgrounds created and performed in their resettlement community. The author concludes by discussing implications for arts‐based practices for teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

This study analyzes research trends in dictogloss within the field of Teaching Korean to Speakers of Other Languages (TKSOL) and proposes directions for future research. Data were collected from studies published in Korea through June 2025 using major Korean academic databases, including RISS, KISS, and DBpia. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 72 relevant studies were selected and categorized by publication period, research domain, participant characteristics, methodology, and topic. The results indicate that research on dictogloss in TKSOL has been conducted consistently since 2008. Grammar instruction emerged as the most frequent research domain (26 studies), and intermediate-level learners were the most common participant group (36 studies). However, most studies failed to specify participants’ nationality or learning purposes. Regarding methodology, quantitative research predominated (31 studies), followed by mixed-methods (7), qualitative (3), and meta-analyses (2). In terms of topics, verifying instructional effectiveness was the most prevalent (35 studies), followed by the proposal of teaching models (24 studies). This study is significant as it provides a comprehensive overview of research trends over the past two decades, incorporating both peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature, such as dissertations and research reports. These findings are expected to serve as a foundational resource for future research on dictogloss.

"Inclusion," aka "mainstreaming," is an education buzzword in America and elsewhere, as the shift in philosophies, resources, etc., continues toward integrating "gifted/special" students into general student populations. International educational institutions teaching all subjects in english are faced with the problems of providing instruction to students with (often widely) varying degrees of english proficiency. Teaching english to speakers of other languages (TESOL), or language instruction, is a challenge under such circumstances; transcending to business/technology teaching in english (BTTIE), or content instruction, is downright formidable. It's not just the teachers and students who have difficulty communicating with each other: school officials, administrators, etc., will also experience problems without inclusion-like solutions based on educational technology. Inclusion can be a vague concept to define and therefore implement, however; what's required for success is a codified, concrete education model such as the sheltered instruction observation protocol (SIOPreg), designed, developed and delivered via hardware/software.

This research attempted to identify the psychological factors that affect the speaking performance of students enrolled in Postgraduate English Language Teaching programs in Pakistan. A quantitative approach was used to address the main aim of this study. The participants of the research were 100 postgraduate students enrolled in English Language Teaching (ELT) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programs of public sector higher education institutions and universities in Pakistan. The findings revealed that many students in this study reported finding it difficult to speak in English in foreign language classrooms due to psychological factors like lack of selfconfidence, lack of self-esteem, fear of making mistakes, shyness, anxiety and motivation mainly. The findings also revealed that almost all the psychological factors are interlinked with each other and have a direct effect on the speaking performance of the students in this study.

Since the advent of the critical turn in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), researchers have addressed previously ignored or glossed over issues of race, gender, class, sexuality, cultural politics, and identity in the language classroom. Curiously, the issue of emotion in language teaching and learning, which would seem to be an integral part of the aforementioned constructs in a person’s identifications and performativities, was left largely unexplored from critical perspectives. Benesch’s thought-provoking, and in many ways, groundbreaking book is a much needed and welcomed contribution to the exploration of emotions that extend beyond the cognitive approaches prevalent in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. Much like her 2001 book, Critical English for Academic Purposes, Benesch seamlessly integrates complex theories with illustrative classroom practices, providing avenues for researchers to pursue further explorations in this area as well as classroom examples for practitioners interested in expanding their own critical approaches with English language learners (ELLs).

Global textbooks (GTs) — full-featured English language teaching materials containing a range of workbooks, videos, CD-ROMs, and online materials — have become a major feature of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) pedagogy in the 21st century. However, they are much maligned by some scholars as tools of cultural imperialism that damage local cultures and contribute to the learners’ failure to acquire proficiency in English as a Foreign Language. This chapter uncovers a number of the sociopolitical dynamics that give rise to GT opposition, and questions some of the more strident claims of anti-GT scholars. The chapter then presents a six-year empirical study conducted at a university English language program in Japan, where nearly 700 students have used a GT as the core material. Drawing from both qualitative and statistical analyses, this chapter concludes that GTs have significant potential for becoming an effective resource for second language learning, but the greatest chance of pedagogical improvement seems most likely in language programs where major institutional stakeholders achieve an acceptable degree of political equilibrium.

This paper explores the integration of innovative pedagogies in English Language Teaching (ELT) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) through the use of technology and collaborative learning. Employing a qualitative approach, the study captures the experiences of educators and students through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and classroom observations. Traditional teaching methodologies often fall short in addressing diverse learner needs and fostering engagement. By leveraging technological advancements such as language learning apps, virtual classrooms, and interactive multimedia tools, in which educators can enhance accessibility, personalize instruction, and increase student interaction. Additionally, collaborative learning strategies, including project-based learning and online discussion forums, cultivate critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. This paper examines successful case studies and highlights the benefits and challenges of implementing these approaches. The findings underscore the potential of technology and collaboration to transform language education, offering practical recommendations for educators to adopt these innovative methods effectively.