This dissertation reports on how Chinese and Dutch non-native teachers of English as a foreign language in secondary education in different countries perceive themselves as teachers in relation to... Show moreThis dissertation reports on how Chinese and Dutch non-native teachers of English as a foreign language in secondary education in different countries perceive themselves as teachers in relation to cultures associated with the English language. In different cultural contexts, teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL teachers) can have diverse ideas about language-and-culture teaching, and they may have different notions of themselves as teachers in relation to cultures associated with the English language. How EFL Teachers see themselves and perceive their roles in relation to these cultures is referred to in the literature as ‘teachers’ intercultural identities’. We explored the characteristics of EFL teachers’ intercultural identity perceptions, and the relationship between EFL teachers’ cultural values and their intercultural identities. We conducted a literature review and a two-phase empirical study including individual interviews and a questionnaire survey among 268 Chinese and Dutch secondary school teachers of English. We found significant differences between the intercultural identity perceptions of Chinese and Dutch non-native EFL teachers. The results also provide insight into the connection between the teachers' cultural values and their intercultural identity perceptions. The findings are relevant for pedagogies and training in foreign language teaching. Show less
