The Hopes and Experiences of Bilingual Teachers of English

Investments, Expectations and Identity

In this age of internationalisation of higher education, many bilingual teachers from non-English-speaking contexts pursue their postgraduate degrees in English-speaking countries. Most programmes focus on providing content knowledge to them, while neglecting their investments. Furthermore, not much attention is given to what these bilingual teachers expect to gain from studying abroad, as well as their lived experiences and identity construction both inside and outside the classroom in English-speaking countries and when they return home. Nevertheless, these dimensions are crucial to their growth as teachers and users of English. This book explores these neglected aspects through case studies of bilinguals from various backgrounds. Through these case studies, the book examines the hopes, struggles and adaptation of bilinguals. It provides insights into what international students should realistically expect when studying overseas, and how to empower bilingual teachers, users and learners of English.

negotiation by presenting their perceived classroom participation in terms of their
verbal contributions to discussions. Her findings suggest that the students faced
difficulties in negotiating discourses, power relations, competence and identities.