Positioning preservice teachers’ reflections and I-positions in the context of teaching practicum: A dialogical-self theory approach

This paper reports on changes in preservice teachers' reflections and metaphorical professional identities during the teaching practicums in China using dialogical-self and positioning theories. Drawing upon 66 written metaphorical accounts, reflective journal entries, and three rounds of semi-structured group interviews, this study identified that the participants continually enacted their multiple I-positions, which encompass four trajectories: (1) promoter position (confirmation/consolidation of I-positions), (2) meta-position (elaboration and expansiveness of I-positions), (3) re-positioning and third position (contradiction and disequilibrium of I-positions), and (4) reflexive positioning (stability and minor change of I-positions). Additionally, this study confirms that metaphors act as powerful cognitive frameworks in gaining in-depth insights into preservice teachers' dynamic and evolving professional identities in learning-to-teach settings. Implications for facilitating preservice teachers’ metaphorical professional identity (trans)formation and reflection in the teaching practicum context are discussed.