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This study explores the professional identity development of five nonnative-English-speaking teacher learners from different backgrounds who were studying for a master's degree in applied linguistics/TESOL at an Australian university, following the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). The study aims to address how identity work could be utilized in teacher education to enrich teacher learners' learning experience and prepare them for better developing their teacher selves. Participants attended two 1-hour storytelling sessions aimed to elicit various aspects of their experience within the teacher education program such as native/nonnative issues, transition in time and space and changes in expectations, and the learning environment. Their stories, structured and analyzed following the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework (interaction, continuity, and situation) revealed their growth, satisfaction, and tensions resulting from becoming part of the community of practice in the Australian teacher education program. This research highlights the role of conducting identity exploration interventions within the context of teacher education in assisting TESOL teachers to construct and reconstruct their professional identity. It also suggests classroom activities based on the three-dimensional space narrative inquiry framework to make identity work a crucial part of teacher development within teacher education courses.

To expand previous interaction research that investigated only the impact of proficiency on occurrence of language related episodes or pair dynamics, this study explored the effect of proficiency on a range of cognitive, social and emotional features of interaction through the lens of engagement. Fifteen core EFL learners interacted with peers of higher and lower proficiency to complete picture sequencing tasks. The core learners' degree of engagement when interacting with the lower and the higher proficiency partners was compared. Results revealed that the core learners showed greater cognitive and social engagement and reported higher emotional engagement when interacting with higher proficiency partners. The results are discussed in terms of the role of proficiency pairing in fostering learner engagement in interaction.

The study investigated the potential impact of task goal orientation on cognitive, social and emotional aspects of task performance through the lens of learner engagement. Sixteen EFL learner dyads completed a convergent decision-making task and a divergent opinion-exchange task. Their audio-recorded interactions were transcribed and coded for evidence of engagement, including idea units and language-related-episodes (cognitive engagement), instances of explicit task enjoyment, reported emotions (emotional engagement), and responsiveness (social engagement). To determine the effects of task goal orientation on learner engagement, scores for engagement types were compared between two tasks. To understand learners’ perception about their engagement, posttask exit questionnaire responses were analyzed using content-analysis approach. Findings showed that learners showed greater cognitive and social engagement in the convergent than divergent tasks. No differences were observed in learners’ emotional engagement. Results are discussed in terms of the role of task goal orientation in promoting learners’ cognitive and social engagement.

Previous peer interaction research has shown that proficiency not only plays a role in how second language (L2) learners talk about language form, but also influences their pair dynamics (Leeser, 2004; Williams, 1999). The current study focuses on peer interaction involving mixed-proficiency dyads, specifically whether task role affects the nature of L2 learners' discussions or their pair dynamics. Sixty English L2 learners at a Vietnamese university were assigned to mixed-proficiency dyads to carry out a story retell task. Task role was manipulated by assigning either information holder or information receiver status to the lower-proficiency learner. After retelling the story, the learners worked together to create a story ending and then collaboratively wrote the entire story. Audio-recordings of their interactions were transcribed and analyzed in terms of the amount, type, and resolution of language-related episodes (LREs) and pair dynamics. The results indicated that the learners produced more LREs and engaged in interactions with greater mutuality when the lowerproficiency learner had the task role as information holder. The findings shed light on ways to promote attention to language form and collaborative interactions when L2 learners from different proficiency levels carry out communicative tasks.