International Teaching Assistants Professional Identity Development

Focusing on the construction of professional identities, this study examines how international teaching assistants (ITAs) navigate their roles at a U.S. university through the lenses of Critical Theory and Poststructuralist Theory. Utilizing a qualitative multi-case study design, the researcher analyzes data from interviews, classroom observations, and research journals. Key findings highlight the impact of course evaluations, supervisor interactions, and the ITAs' English language use on their identity formation, revealing a desire to align with native English speakers in a predominantly American undergraduate environment.