Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace

This article reports on a narrative case study that showcases the local English teachers’ perceived inequality practices and identity construction in Indonesia’s micro-reality context of a private language school domain. Grounded in the social theory of power, privilege, and positional identities,...

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Main Authors: Sahril Nur, Ismail Anas, Reski Pilu, Nurfajriah Basri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UNIB Press 2022-02-01
Series:Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ejournal.unib.ac.id/joall/article/view/20418
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author Sahril Nur
Ismail Anas
Reski Pilu
Nurfajriah Basri
author_facet Sahril Nur
Ismail Anas
Reski Pilu
Nurfajriah Basri
author_sort Sahril Nur
collection DOAJ
description This article reports on a narrative case study that showcases the local English teachers’ perceived inequality practices and identity construction in Indonesia’s micro-reality context of a private language school domain. Grounded in the social theory of power, privilege, and positional identities, three synchronous online interviews were conducted to explore the LETs voices about what it means to experience the equality of rights and obligations in the workplace. As a result, the study revealed four inequality issues: (1) dissatisfaction with the payroll system, (2) the representation of gender and race in promotional endorsement, (3) the call for decolonizing pedagogy in ELT materials and resources, and (4) perceived identity as legitimate and qualified English teachers. Regarding the workload capacity and role as professional English teachers, they recognized that they deserve equal treatment as their native counterparts. However, this type of discrimination will further widen the gap between LETs and NESTs dichotomy and impede the construction of language teacher identity. This study suggests exploring dedicated strategies to develop information literacy skills for school principals, parents, teachers, students, and policymakers. This study will also contribute to the growth of critically oriented literature and scholarship on teacher identity and critical anti-racist language teaching pedagogy.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2022-02-01
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record_format Article
series Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature
spelling doaj-art-ada2efbdd6a24df3b88a3505291c83c52025-02-10T11:04:59ZengUNIB PressJournal of Applied Linguistics and Literature2502-78162503-524X2022-02-0171Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplaceSahril Nur0Ismail Anas1Reski Pilu2Nurfajriah Basri3Universitas Negeri MakassarPoliteknik Negeri Ujung PandangUniversitas Cokroaminoto, PalopoUniversitas Sawerigading This article reports on a narrative case study that showcases the local English teachers’ perceived inequality practices and identity construction in Indonesia’s micro-reality context of a private language school domain. Grounded in the social theory of power, privilege, and positional identities, three synchronous online interviews were conducted to explore the LETs voices about what it means to experience the equality of rights and obligations in the workplace. As a result, the study revealed four inequality issues: (1) dissatisfaction with the payroll system, (2) the representation of gender and race in promotional endorsement, (3) the call for decolonizing pedagogy in ELT materials and resources, and (4) perceived identity as legitimate and qualified English teachers. Regarding the workload capacity and role as professional English teachers, they recognized that they deserve equal treatment as their native counterparts. However, this type of discrimination will further widen the gap between LETs and NESTs dichotomy and impede the construction of language teacher identity. This study suggests exploring dedicated strategies to develop information literacy skills for school principals, parents, teachers, students, and policymakers. This study will also contribute to the growth of critically oriented literature and scholarship on teacher identity and critical anti-racist language teaching pedagogy. https://ejournal.unib.ac.id/joall/article/view/20418LETs Glocal pedagogy Marginalization Legitimate English teachers Teacher identity
spellingShingle Sahril Nur
Ismail Anas
Reski Pilu
Nurfajriah Basri
Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
Journal of Applied Linguistics and Literature
LETs Glocal pedagogy Marginalization Legitimate English teachers Teacher identity
title Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
title_full Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
title_fullStr Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
title_full_unstemmed Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
title_short Local English teachers’ voices from a marginalized lens: Inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
title_sort local english teachers voices from a marginalized lens inequality practices and identity construction in the workplace
topic LETs Glocal pedagogy Marginalization Legitimate English teachers Teacher identity
url https://ejournal.unib.ac.id/joall/article/view/20418
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AT reskipilu localenglishteachersvoicesfromamarginalizedlensinequalitypracticesandidentityconstructionintheworkplace
AT nurfajriahbasri localenglishteachersvoicesfromamarginalizedlensinequalitypracticesandidentityconstructionintheworkplace