DEVELOPING THE PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY OF HIGH SCHOOL ESL TEACHERS IN HO CHI MINH CITY UNDER VIETNAM’S 2018 GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Abstract

The article discusses the concepts of language teachers’ identity from dialogic and integrative perspectives and identifies the state of teachers’ professional identity of upper-secondary ESL teachers in Ho Chi Minh City under the 2018 General Education Curriculum. The data were gathered via an online questionnaire from 182 respondents selected through a purposive convenience sampling strategy. Based on the descriptive statistics, the participants demonstrated a moderately high level of professional identity index. Teachers reported a strong sense of professional commitment and teaching values but a relatively low level of teacher agency in relation to the curriculum and assessment changes. The most influential constraints on their professional identity were the teaching load, examination culture, and administrative responsibilities, while the primary contributing factors were intrinsic motivation, peer collaboration, and student progress feedback. The study ends with the recommendations on individual, school, and systemic levels to enhance the process of teachers’ professional identity development during the 2018 General Education Curriculum implementation.