Novice Nonnative Language Teachers Identity: Investigating the Gap Between Private and Ideal Selves

There has been a large number of research on teacher identity dealing with teachers imagined identities and identity formation; However, there is still a paucity of studies on teachers conceptualizations of their private and ideal selves. The present study drew on Taylor s (2010) Quadripolar Model of Identity to provide insights into identity-related phenomena in language teaching. It aimed to investigate the gaps between Iranian novice EFL teachers actual private and possible ideal selves. Moreover, it examined the potential barriers for the actualization of the ideal selves, as well as the strategies novice teachers found useful for resolving the gaps. For this purpose, six elementary school teachers took part in this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants and data were collected for each novice EFL teacher. Grounded theory as the method of analysis was utilized to identify emerging themes and categories that revealed participants conceptualizations of their actual and ideal selves. The content and thematic analysis of the interviews indicated the gaps between novice teachers actual private and possible ideal selves. It was evidenced that although there were discrepancies between private and ideal identities, they were also bound together. Recurrent themes regarding novice EFL teachers barriers for moving toward ideal identity were, inter alia, authorities in school, directive supervision, materials, overloaded curriculum, and lack of self-confidence. Participants believed developing compensating strategies such as planning lessons, working hard, observing experienced teachers, consulting with colleagues and supervisors, and updating knowledge were crucial for them to overcome barriers that impeded their achievement of deal identities. The findings imply that in their formal preparation for the profession, teachers should not only gain pedagogical knowledge and skills but also be aided in constructing their identities and get engaged with the way they conceive their selves.