The Stories of English Teachers as Learners in Terms of Teacher Socialization

Abstract

This study aims to find out whether there is a relationship between the stories of teachers as learners in their socialization process and what kind of differences emerge between novice and experienced teachers in terms of their referring to that process from their perspective. The study was designed qualitatively and data were gathered by semi-structured interviews in order to reveal teachers’ stories as learners from their perspectives. Expert judgment was taken and pilot study was conducted before the actual study in order to make sure that the research questions are clear and understandable. Four English teachers from Turkey took part in the study in 2014-2015 spring term. The data were analyzed using content analysis and coding in order to form the recurring patterns from teachers’ expressions about teacher stories as learners from the teachers’ perspective and find the differences between experienced and novice teachers in terms of referring to teachers’ socialization process. The findings indicate that while novice teachers in this study tend to focus on the problems they face and their reflection from their previous stories as learners, experienced teachers tend to talk about their experiences in a paternalistic manner by featuring their personality and self-confidence. The results highlight the prominence that must be given to the stories of teachers as learners and the need for in-depth analysis.