Understanding my professional identity

In this section you can find useful professional development resources – including articles, webinars, podcast episodes, research and teaching tips and tools – all to help you develop your skills and knowledge of Understanding my professional identity.

What does 'Understanding my professional identity' involve?

This professional practice covers the knowledge, skills, behaviours and attributes that a teacher can develop to enable them to thrive in the profession. It is divided into two key areas: understanding my professional identity and developing my professional identity. The rationale for this is that a teacher continues learning and growing throughout their career.

Understanding my professional identity

Understanding my professional identity involves:

  • developing an awareness of my professional identity with reference to my:

    • cultural background and experiences
    • linguistic background and linguistic resources
    • educational background and experiences
    • socio-economic background and experiences
    • learning and communication preferences.
  • developing an awareness of my professional identity in relation to:

    • other teachers
    • the teaching profession
    • professional networks and communities of practice.
  • developing an awareness of my values, attitudes and beliefs in relation to my professional practice (e.g. towards diversity and inclusion in my classroom), and how they affect my levels of motivation

  • understanding my behaviour, including an awareness of any bias I may have, and how it affects my professional practice

  • being mindful of my own physical and emotional well-being and knowing how to strengthen it

  • developing my resilience as a teacher (for example adapting to challenging circumstances).

Developing my professional identity

Developing my professsional identity involves:

  • understanding my professional goals, needs, interests and learning preferences in order to identify areas for development

  • defining my short-, medium- and long-term career goals in order to plan my professional development

  • identifying the developmental pathways available to reach my learning and career goals

  • engaging in appropriate professional development opportunities and critically selecting resources to inform my classroom practice, including:

    • reflecting continuously on my practice
    • observing other teachers and being observed
    • carrying out classroom research and other kinds of practitioner inquiry
    • reviewing self-access resources (e.g. reading research articles and lesson plans to develop, for example, my language awareness and pedagogical knowledge)
    • collaborating with colleagues and other professionals (e.g. in a community of practice, in a social media network)
    • participating in training, following qualification programmes 
    • attending and presenting at conferences
    • writing blogs, publishing in journals 
    • joining teacher associations.
  • staying up-to-date with developments in language teaching and learning

  • developing my technological skills and using my digital literacy and available technology to facilitate my professional development

  • reflecting on my identity as a teacher and evaluating the benefit of my continuing professional development and its impact on my classroom practice and my learners' achievements.

 

Explore resources on 'Understanding my professional identity'

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

See our publications, research and insight