Social Representations of Professional Identity Among Future English Language Teachers at the School of Foreign Languages

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the social representations of professional identity among future language teachers at the school of foreign languages of the university of Colima. Grounded in social representations theory, the research examines the mean-ings, beliefs, and values that pre-service teachers construct regarding their profes-sional role. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, free word associ-ation tasks, and reflective narratives with students at different stages of initial teacher education. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify key elements of these repre-sentations, offering insights into how professional identity is shaped throughout teacher training.