Amanda Turner

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected challenges to the lives and professional practice of teachers regardless of their institutional context. Our understanding of how teachers viewed their impact on their perceived sense of professional identity is largely unexplored, especially concerning teachers working in the post-compulsory sector. This article discusses the findings from a small-scale qualitative research project that aimed to investigate, `what teachers’ reflective stories tell us about their perceptions of their professional identities in times of unexpected social change.’ To explore how teachers perceived their professional roles in these challenging times we used a reflective narrative approach in the format of McAdams’s life-story interview (1993). Seven volunteer participants who formed a purposive sample of professionals from a variety of post-compulsory education institutions in the UK were asked to describe key episodes to capture their experiences covering the period from March 2020 to the end of May 2021. The findings focused on how unexpected social changes impacted on teachers’ perceived sense of professional identity, specifically through their sense of vulnerability. Three main themes were identified: vulnerability resulting from questioning professional credibility; vulnerability in the changing dynamics of relationship development; and vulnerability in the pastoral role

This article analyses trainee teachers’ experiences of incidental learning using storytelling in the English as a Second Language (ESOL) classroom in the Further Education and Skills sector. It comments on the reflections of trainee ESOL teachers using story activities in their practice and it explores their experiences of incidental learning within language teaching.
The research focuses on the responses, evaluations and perceptions of trainee teachers on the effectiveness of storytelling as a pedagogic tool to enhance language and literacy skills development and explores the impact of incidental learning on trainee teachers’ professional development.
The findings indicate that trainees experienced incidental learning whilst implementing storytelling in a wide range of contexts with various groups of learners from Entry Level 1 (beginners) to Level 2 (upper intermediate). Storytelling as a pedagogical tool was used in various forms, such as unplanned impromptu uses when demonstrating a grammatical or lexical point. The trainee teachers’ reflective accounts of incidental learning demonstrated a positive impact on their professional progress, which is mainly reflected in the components of attitudinal and intellectual change with some evidence of behavioural change too.
The key findings of the study indicate that storytelling provides creative opportunities for teachers to develop their practice incidentally. It highlights the importance of unplanned and spontaneous anecdotal stories in engaging ESOL learners in language practice and suggests that stories can be used as an effective pedagogic tool in teaching and learning.

This book examines the benefits of applying the Identity Structure Analysis (ISA) to teacher professional development. At present no government, local authority or school is actively applying Identity Structure Analysis to monitor school improvement: in a profession where turnover is extremely high, ISA is framed as a way for professional development to meet the needs of the specific teacher. Examining idiographic ISA analyses as well as practical advice for implementing professional development programs, the authors scrutinise how ISA can be used in conjunction with mentoring to offset teacher turnover. This practical volume will be of interest and value to scholars and researchers of teacher identity and professional development, as well as researchers and policymakers interested in reducing teacher turnover.

It has been argued that teacher identity is shaped by the experiences that trainees have while in placement (Avalos, 2011; Jephcote, Salisbury, 2009). Through negotiation, collaboration and consolidation a trainee teacher is able to navigate the often turbulent landscape that exists in the Further Education and Skills sector (Orr, 2012). Incidental learning has been defined as unplanned and internally constructed through a process, prompted when an unexpected, serendipitous moment is experienced by an individual, often during a non-routine experience (Marsick and Watkins, 1992, Kerka, 2000; Polly, 2007). This makes it prevalent in learning environments, particularly for trainee teachers who are more likely to experience vast amounts of disjuncture.
This paper explores the ideas around the development of trainee teachers’ professional identity for through the findings from a longitudinal study. A theoretical framework is presented and evaluated in terms of the data generated from a range of qualitative research methods. This research challenges the idea of criteria based professionalism, arguing instead for a more holistic development of professional identity, developed gradually through incidental learning. Initial teacher educators can use this framework to review and develop existing formal learning provision, identifying ways to supplement the development of professional identity within formal learning. Trainee teachers will be able to reflect on their own professional identity, professional relationships and self-evaluation strategies in order to engage with disjuncture in a way that will lead to improvement in their practice.

This textbook from City & Guilds is the perfect accompaniment to the 6502 Level 3 Award in Educationand Training. With the content mapped directly to the qualification, this book is designed to help you to link the teaching theory to your assignments. It offers practical guidance and background knowledge to the key topic areas and provides further opportunities to develop your knowledge through detailed reading lists. This textbook includes learning features that will be useful every day, such as: example schemes of work; lesson plans; explanations of difficult terms; learner activities; handy hints; real life teaching scenarios. This fun, engaging book is a must-have for any learner looking for a guide to help them through their assignments for their Level 3 Award in Education and Training, as well as a reference point throughout their teaching career