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 research explored the incidental learning experienced by pre-service trainee teachers in the post-fourteen sector, and the impact this had on the development of professional identity.
The research followed a multiple case study approach over one academic year, via a range of methods, such as focus groups, one to one interviews and reflective journal accounts. A theoretical framework was produced from a literature review which was used to analyse the primary data. The results offered insights into the placement experience and the way professional identity is born from what can be a challenging context.
The research identified an incidental learning space which is generated within a placement which enables a holistic deep sense of professional identity to develop. The research uncovered the symbiotic way that dual professionalism operates for arts based subject teachers and how the overlap between these identities shape future development through ongoing, active participation.
Some of the recommendations arising from the findings include rigorous recruitment and ongoing training for mentors along with time and support provided for trainee teachers to process their learning experience and develop reflective practice. Alongside this, formal induction processes should be in place as well as observation training for trainee teachers at the beginning of the programme to enable them to be properly prepared and develop their ability for ‘noticing’.
The research builds on existing evidence by offering an updated incidental learning theoretical framework which can be used to support professional identity development for trainee teachers.

This presentation considers the potential that a combination of Identity Structure Analysis (Weinreich and Saunderson 2003) and mentoring sessions hold for exploring teacher identity. The research argues for a combined approach as a way to augment current approaches to teacher professional development. This research also argues that Identity Structure Analysis (ISA) leads to more targeted mentoring sessions which supports individual transition and ultimately leads to an increase in trainee teacher retention

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.

This presentation considers the potential that a combination of Identity Structure Analysis (Weinreich and Saunderson 2003) and mentoring sessions hold for exploring teacher identity. The research argues for a combined approach as a way to augment current approaches to teacher professional development. This research also argues that Identity Structure Analysis (ISA) leads to more targeted mentoring sessions which supports individual transition and ultimately leads to an increase in trainee teacher retention