Using Teacher Narratives to Explore the Intersection Between Positioning and Emotion: A Teacher's Journey

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Twelve
  In Roundtable Session: Stories and Tensions Around Teacher Identity (Table 13)

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of positionality and emotion through the transformative experiences of one ESL teacher. Positionality relates to how individuals situate themselves in relation to others and how others’ views influence them. Emotion, according to the American Psychological Association (n.d.), is "a complex reaction pattern, involving experiential, behavioral, and physiological elements." Through a narrative analysis of one ESL teacher’s reflective journals and interviews, findings suggest that when the teacher became conscious of how emotion mediates different types and orders of positioning, her classroom became a site of inspiration where her pedagogical transformation empowered students to explore their experiences as learners. The authors conclude with implications for teachers of ELLs as well as teacher educators.

Authors

• Min Wang, Houghton University
  Presenting Author

• Gail Verdi, Kean University
  Presenting Author

• Miriam Eisenstein Ebsworth, New York University
  Presenting Author