Becoming teachers: Navigating identity tensions in the transition from preparation to practice

This study reports on two case studies of novice English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers in Victoria, Australia, examining the personal and professional identity tensions they experience as they transition from initial teacher education (ITE) into culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) school contexts. Drawing on semi-structured interviews and language portraits, the study explores three interrelated dimensions: (i) the extent to which ITE prepares teachers with relevant knowledge for EAL teaching; (ii) the challenges and affordances encountered within school settings; and (iii) the influence of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, language, and broader ideological structures on teacher identity formation. The findings indicate that although participants valued their university preparation, their professional identities were more powerfully shaped by everyday school practices and collegial communities. Identity tensions were particularly evident where systemic hierarchies positioned teachers as less experienced or less knowledgeable. Overall, the study demonstrates that EAL teacher identity is constructed at the intersection of professional knowledge, lived experience, and the ongoing negotiation of institutional power relations.