TEACHER PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY IN ELT: INSIGHTS FROM TEACHER TRAINING PRACTICES IN UZBEKISTAN

Аннотация

This article explores the multifaceted development of Teacher Professional Identity (TPI) within the field of English Language Teaching (ELT), with a particular focus on teacher training practices in the context of Uzbekistan. Situated within the dynamic educational landscape of a post-Soviet, multilingual society, the study investigates how structured training programs, reflective teaching, and peer mentorship collectively shape teachers' evolving identities. The paper is informed by the author’s dual role as both a classroom teacher and a teacher trainer at a private learning center in Karshi, offering a unique insider perspective that blends personal narrative with professional inquiry. The study adopts a qualitative, autoethnographic approach to illuminate the identity development process, integrating global theoretical frameworks such as sociocultural theory (Vygotsky), narrative identity (Clandinin & Connelly), and communities of practice (Wenger) with localized, real-world experiences. Particular attention is paid to the transformative role of experiential learning— teaching young learners, designing and delivering training workshops, and participating in international courses such as Train the Trainer—in constructing a reflective and agentive professional self. Findings indicate that teacher identity in ELT is not static, but is continually negotiated through experience, social interaction, and self-reflection. Professional growth is enhanced when teachers are given opportunities to assume leadership roles, engage in collaborative dialogue, and align personal values with pedagogical practices. The study also underscores the importance of institutional support and sustainable training systems that acknowledge teachers not merely as implementers of curriculum but as active contributors to the development of their profession. The article concludes with a set of practical recommendations aimed at policymakers, institutions, and teacher educators in Uzbekistan, emphasizing the need for teacher training programs that foster critical reflection, contextual sensitivity, and long-term professional identity formation. Keywords: Teacher professional identity, teacher training, English Language Teaching (ELT), Uzbekistan, reflective practice, teacher development, sociocultural 21 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIENCE International scientific-online conference theory, narrative inquiry, autoethnography, communities of practice, experiential learning, teacher education, in-service training, professional growth, teacher agency, teacher trainer, identity formation, localized pedagogy, professional development, educational reform. Chapter 1: Introduction In recent decades, the concept of Teacher Professional Identity (TPI) has become a central focus in educational research, especially in the field of English Language Teaching (ELT). As education systems worldwide adapt to shifting linguistic, cultural, and technological demands, the role of the teacher has also evolved—moving beyond the delivery of content to include roles such as facilitator, mentor, curriculum designer, and change agent (Beijaard, Meijer, & Verloop, 2004). Understanding how English language teachers construct and reconstruct their professional identities has become critical to improving teacher education, promoting job satisfaction, and ensuring long-term professional engagement. This thesis explores the impact of teacher training on shaping English language teachers’ professional identity, with a specific focus on the Uzbek context. While much of the existing literature on TPI has emerged from Western or highly institutionalized education systems, there is a growing need to explore how identity is shaped in less-researched, post-Soviet contexts like Uzbekistan, where English has gained increased prominence in educational policy and practice. In such settings, teacher training is often one of the primary catalysts for professional growth, confidence-building, and reflective practice. The research draws on the author’s ten years of experience working at the Global Education learning center in Karshi, Uzbekistan, both as a general English teacher and a teacher trainer. This dual perspective provides unique insight into how identity is negotiated not only through classroom teaching but also through the delivery of professional development workshops and participation in international training programs such as Train the Trainer (Cambridge Assessment). By adopting an autoethnographic approach, the study offers a reflective, narrative-based account that intertwines personal experience with broader theoretical concepts. Grounded in the idea that professional identity is a dynamic and evolving construct, shaped by a range of personal, institutional, and sociocultural influences (Beauchamp & Thomas, 2009), this study argues that teacher training plays a pivotal role in this ongoing development. Key theoretical perspectives, 22 ACADEMIC RESEARCH IN MODERN SCIE