English language teachers' emotional vulnerability in the era of self-branding on social media

Abstract

This study aimed to explore English language teachers' vulnerability and identity negotiation in relation to self-branding on social media. It focused on 15 Iranian teachers' experiences in teaching and self-promotion on Instagram through narrative frames and follow-up interviews. The analysis of the teacher narratives demonstrated that the new online context that valorizes visibility by demanding audience appealing content and personalities generated a great amount of vulnerability among the language teachers. The results evidenced the teachers' constant struggles in competing against those who seemingly possess superior skills and resources for self-promotion and their resistance to the “rules of the game” in gaining quick visibility. They shed light on language teachers' vulnerability and identity negotiation in their efforts to present themselves as authentic and legitimate teachers on Instagram against popular, self-branded individuals. Highlighting the intersection of language teaching, emotion, and identity, this study provides theoretical and pedagogical implications for language teacher identity in a shifting teaching context.