An investigation of professional identity development across student, novice and experienced EFL teachers: Their expectations and fears for the future.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate student, novice, and experienced English as a foreign language teachers' professional identity development through the Possible Selves Theory in a Turkish context. The study also aimed to identify whether teachers at various stages in their professional careers had different ideal and feared language teacher selves, and the factors that influenced their future selves. To achieve the purpose of the study, an explanatory sequential mixed method was used. First, quantitative data were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed via SPSS. The questionnaire participants were 194 student, novice, and experienced English teachers working or studying at state schools in Turkey. Then, for the qualitative data, semistructured interviews were conducted and analyzed to obtain a more in-depth understanding of the quantitative data. As a result of ANOVA, no significant difference was observed between student, novice, and experienced English teachers concerning their ideal and feared language teacher selves. In addition, in terms of ideal language teacher selves, all three participant teacher groups emphasized professional development, language competency, professional competency, personal qualities, and recognition. Additionally, in terms of feared language teacher selves, five themes emerged: language incompetency, lack of professional development, undesired personal qualities, undesired professional dispositions, and lack of recognition. Moreover, the participants mentioned external and internal factors that affected their possible selves. Additionally, with the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic, the participants mostly emphasized the importance of using technology effectively and having the ability to be adaptable. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)