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Start date: 2020Subject: search.filters.subject.English teachers

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    Secondary school English language teacher agency in the aftermath of COVID-19 crises : a study from a West Sumatran Region, Indonesia : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-11-26) Yuliandri, Yuliandri
    The COVID-19 pandemic saw the prompt shift to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT), which was challenging for both learners and educators worldwide. This study explores the experiences of secondary school English language teachers working within a resource-limited setting of Lima Puluh Kota Region, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It focuses not only on the ERT period but also on the re-transition to face-to-face teaching post-pandemic. It seeks to answer two research questions: 1) What adjustments did English language teachers make to their practice during and after the pandemic lockdown period, and how did they perceive and articulate these experiences? 2) How did the teachers exercise their agency, negotiate their professional identities, and manage their emotions in response to these experiences? This study adopts a qualitative dominant mixed-methods design. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis are employed to analyse data which was collected from teachers from July to November 2022 through a survey (n=63), two rounds of interviews (n=10), and classroom observations (n=10). The findings indicated that while the teachers were emotionally affected by the abrupt shift to ERT, which was intensified by Digital Divide issues, they tried to negotiate the availability of resources and use their agency to find ways to continue teaching. Some were able to discover benefits beyond the difficulties as ERT exposed them to digital technologies, a wide range of learning modes, and opportunities to pursue professional development (PD). Throughout and after the pandemic, teachers actively negotiated their professional identities, which contributed to their professional growth and increased reflexivity on their current and future practices. This shifted their perspectives about teaching and learning and the role of technology, which proved useful when they encountered challenges re-transitioning to face-to-face classrooms. This study contributes to the literature by 1) adding evidence of how English language teachers exercised their agency during and after the pandemic and illustrating the temporal and contextual aspects involved in the process, 2) revealing different pathways of professional identity negotiation, and 3) breaking down the interplay between agency, identity, and emotions, and outlining the significant role of emotions in both enactment of agency and professional identity negotiation. In addition to these theoretical contributions, practical implications, which focus on the need for school technology infrastructure in the region, and tailored teacher professional development at both school and MoE levels to foster student teachers’ and experienced teachers’ awareness of the intersection of agency, identity and emotion in the teacher education curriculum and training programmes, are discussed.
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    A cultural learning approach to acculturation : teaching and learning between native English-speaking teachers and university students in Southwest China : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Communication at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-08-31) Zhou, Zhidan
    The globalisation of education has affected the teaching dynamics of native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) in the Chinese higher education system. The roles of NESTs are challenging and require a nuanced understanding of teaching effectiveness, cultural intelligence (CQ), and leadership in higher education. This study explores the complex and dynamic roles of NESTs in Chinese higher education, focusing on their teaching practices, CQ, and leadership contributions. Forty-five Chinese students, 15 NESTs and five Chinese university leaders (CULs) from Southwest China participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings highlight that the pedagogical practices of NESTs were viewed positively for practical language application but criticized for being culturally incompatible. Instructional outcomes showed that perceived immediacy positively influenced affective and behavioral learning but did not affect cognitive learning. In addition, CQ plays a crucial role in shaping NESTs’ teaching strategies, classroom engagement, and adaptability to diverse learning needs. Participants who described CQ-aligned practices reported more adaptive teaching and richer student participation. NESTs play an important leadership role in improving students' language skills and cultural knowledge. NESTs are credited with providing authentic language environments, innovative teaching methods, and cultural insights that enhance students’ language and cultural understanding. Despite these positive contributions, NESTs have faced various challenges in their leadership role. This study emphasizes the need for culturally responsive teaching, professional development for NESTs, and collaboration between NESTs and institutions, deepens the understanding of NESTs’ contributions to instructional communication, and offers suggestions for improving intercultural communication in global academic contexts