Understanding Identities in Discourse

This chapter explores the importance of understanding teacher identityTeacher identity construction from the perspectives of discourse. The previous chapter on practice highlights the challenges and rewards of higher education’s sociocultural and institutional contexts and the importance of using the community of practiceCommunities of practice (CoP) concept to understand the dynamic power and control relationships. This chapter on discourse includes a review of discourse theoryDiscourse theory and how it connects to identitiesIdentity. This chapter concludes with the need to explore the connections between institutional and cultural structures and the “doing” of identityIdentity construction, with implications for teacher development and professional practices.