Asserting One's Identity as a French Teacher: An Empirical Study of the Positioning of Prospective French Teachers

Abstract

This study explores the development of professional identity among pre-service French language teachers in a large bilingual university in Canada, focusing on challenges related to training and ideologies that shape their self-perception as future French language educators and have direct impact on their teaching approaches, sense of their roles and effectiveness and long- term willingness to pursue a career as French language instructors. Drawing on a mixed-methods case study approach (Duff, 2014), data was collected through questionnaires and semi-formal interviews with future French language teachers. The findings highlight the critical role of hands- on teaching experiences, such as mastery experiences (Bandura, 1997), and the observation of skilled educators in building confidence and self-efficacy. Additionally, positive feedback and encouraging discourse were found to significantly influence identity formation. The research further highlights the importance of addressing nativist ideologies (Shuck, 2006) and promoting linguistic diversity within teacher training programs, validating both native and non-native speakers as legitimate French teachers. Implications focus on the importance of efforts to explicitly counter nativist discourses while also providing pre-service French language teachers with authentic teaching experiences, a stronger emphasis on cultural awareness (Byram, 1997; Kramsch, 1993), and the integration of reflective practices to support identity development. These insights contribute to enhancing teacher training programs, with implications for better preparing and retaining future French educators in diverse classroom contexts.