TRAJETÓRIAS, CRENÇAS E IDENTIDADES DOCENTES: ANÁLISE TEMÁTICA DAS NARRATIVAS DE PROFESSORES DE INGLÊS DE INSTITUTOS DE IDIOMAS E DA EDUCAÇÃO PROFISSIONAL

Abstract

This study investigated how English language teachers, working in language institutes and in Vocational Education at both secondary and higher levels, construct their professional identity based on their trajectories, beliefs, and formative experiences. The research, qualitative and exploratory-interpretative in nature, employed a narrative questionnaire with four participants. Responses were analysed through Braun and Clarke’s (2006; 2019) thematic analysis, carried out in three stages: an initial analysis conducted by the researcher; refinement with the support of a thematic analysis agent based on Artificial Intelligence; and a final interpretation articulated with the theoretical framework. The results revealed five central themes: (a) continuous training and critical events; (b) reconfiguration of beliefs; (c) centrality of the student; (d) impact and recognition; and (e) situated and negotiated identity. A strong convergence was observed between the contexts investigated, particularly in the recognition of student centrality and in the perception that English teaching, although directed toward specific purposes, transcends mere technicality and can assume a broader formative dimension. The study concluded that teacher identity is multiple, situated, and constantly negotiated, but it is emphasised that the findings are exploratory and highlight the need for broader studies to deepen and confirm these tendencies.