A Narrative Analysis Of College English Teachers' Identity Construction In Xinjiang

This thesis makes case studies of college English teachers'identity construction in Xinjiang by using Labov's evaluation model, CDA and analyzing archetype in narratives. It intends to reveal their identity construction process through the analysis of the narratives of six teachers ranging from the young to the elderly.The author interviewed 14 English teachers in Xinjiang Changji college. With the teachers'approval, the interviews were MP4-recorded. After repeated listening and selection, 6 teachers are finally chosen as the research subjects in the present study. Their transcribed narratives become the data for the thesis.The research findings are as follows. First, almost all narrators agree that college teachers enjoy high social reputation. Meanwhile, they also express explicitly or implicitly that their economic status is comparatively low. It is noteworthy that most interviewees build their image as teachers who remain loyal to their professional principles and responsibilities no matter how they consider their social status. Second, the teacher identities constructed by the six narrators take on diversity, showing distance from the stereotyped teacher image. Third, when constructing their identities, the six narrators all manage to present a complete self. Their exploration of complete and authentic self can exert deep influence on their professional attitudes and acts.The present study is significant in the following aspects. First,, the application of various analytical devices can better meet the requirement made by the complexity of identity study, which not only broadens the view of the research into teacher identity, but also has reference value for the study of other social group's identity construction. Second, this thesis emphasizes college teachers'self-construction of their identities, which compensates for the weakness of overemphasis on the social aspects of teacher identity and the negligence of their individuality in traditional definition of teacher identity. This can help the public have a more complete understanding of teacher identity. Besides, the study motivates college teachers'reflection upon their identity, which is of significance to the healthy development of this social group.