A Review of Foreign Language Teacher Identity in China: An Analysis Based on 32 CNKI Empirical Studies

Zekun Xu

doi:10.54691/0yppn016

Authors

Zekun Xu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/0yppn016

Keywords:

Language teacher identity; language teacher education; foreign language teaching.

Abstract

This study reviews 32 empirical studies on the identity of Chinese foreign language teachers published in CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from 2011 to 2023. The findings indicate that the number of empirical studies on the identity of foreign language teachers in China has increased year by year, but it seems to have entered a dormant period in 2024. In terms of research methods, the studies on foreign language teachers’ identity in China are primarily qualitative, with mixed-methods research as a supplement, and the theoretical perspectives are diverse. Moreover, the results of the 32 studies reviewed show fluidity, diversity, and context-dependency nature of language teacher identity. In addition, this study points out the limitations of the empirical studies on foreign language teacher identity in China in terms of research subjects and focused context and offers suggestions for future research.

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