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Investigating the critical influences on emerging trainee teacher identity in the UAEU: A case study of Elementary Arabic and English Language students’ views

Attia Adelkarim, Altahair

Investigating the critical influences on emerging trainee teacher identity in the UAEU: A case study of Elementary Arabic and English Language students’ views Thumbnail


Authors

Altahair Attia Adelkarim



Abstract

This research into emerging teacher identity in the UAE takes the form of a case study. Groups of 1st year students aiming to be either Arabic or English language teachers were interviewed and compared to similar groups in their final 4th year. Each group was involved twice, at the beginning of the academic year and again towards the end of the academic year. Before beginning there was some expectation that the Arabic teachers would perhaps have a more traditional outlook than the English teachers, because there have been long-standing differences between the “modernists” and the “traditionalists”. This, like several other expectations were not borne out by reality – some “traditionalists” were teaching English, some “modernists” were teaching Arabic.
The background and context are carefully considered including gender inequalities and the role of women in UAE society. This last led to the adoption of a suitable respectful, Islamic, Sharia compliant interview system, since I, as a male researcher, could not be alone with a female student to whom I was not a close relative. This essentially new methodology was a helpful manner or organising a survey of the students. Another aspect of the research was connected to teacher retention – like many countries, the UAE attracts and trains young teachers who then leave the profession after only a few years. In view of this, the intention was to discover the aims and beliefs of the students at the beginning and end of their four-year course. The Introductory Chapter and the Literature Review examined the issues of training, teacher identity, context, and retention before the data collection began.
The conclusions and recommendations from this research include a theory of teacher identity as viewed by female student teachers (elementary language) in the UAEU. These students, whether Arabic teachers or English teachers, had entered into their studies believing that “being a teacher” was easy, although all now knew that this was not the case. Nevertheless, they displayed a determination to remain in the profession, and a strong sense of national pride. There was no clear divide between “traditionalists” and “modernists”; both Arabic and English teachers acknowledging the importance of both languages and emphasising the need for compromise and to live in agreement with others with different views. The recommendations based on the data include attempting to improve the status of teachers in the UAE, and encouraging more male elementary teachers.

Citation

Attia Adelkarim, A. Investigating the critical influences on emerging trainee teacher identity in the UAEU: A case study of Elementary Arabic and English Language students’ views. (Thesis). University of the West of England. Retrieved from https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/4435940

Thesis Type Thesis
Deposit Date Nov 11, 2019
Publicly Available Date Aug 13, 2020
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/4435940

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