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In this article, we explore the tensions early career English teachers experience in their language teacher identities (LTIs). To this effect, we conducted semi‐structured interviews with three early career English teachers at Turkish public schools. The findings showed that the teachers experienced tensions with their roles as teachers, language competency, and structural and relational aspects in their contexts. Devising and employing coping strategies in navigating challenges, the teachers developed their own ways to deal with various identity tensions. The findings of this study conclude that (i) maintaining LTIs is emotionally complex, (ii) LTIs happen in social practice, and (iii) meso and macro contexts supersede ideals causing dilemmas, conflicts, and tensions in LTIs. Drawing on the findings, we argue that teachers' emotional needs and identity tensions should be provided for through institutional and interrelational support systems so that teachers can manage tensions and emotionality as potential in their identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore how English language teachers construct and enact their teacher identities. The data was collected through semi‐structured interviews with four in‐service English language teachers at Turkish public schools. The findings revealed certain identity stabilizers: the fascination with subject and the job, caring for students and the relationships with students and former teachers. Although the teachers took two distinctive pathways—the meant to be route and the higher education route—the job experiences of those taking the same route to teaching were quite different. Varying levels of exersion of teacher agency to attain alignment between imagined and actual identities and rare opportunities for legitimate participation and job socialization were effective in the actualization of personal and professional values distinctively. The findings enhance our understanding of how teacher identity is contextually and relationally constructed and offer implications for teacher education and sustainable identity‐oriented professional learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent educational research has underscored the criticality and centrality of teacher quality as a decisive and prominent influence on students' academic growth and success. Consequently, it becomes imperative to define, understand, and study the qualities and qualifications of effective teachers so as to inform preservice and in-service teacher education practices. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate administrators' views and expectations on teacher recruitment processes and qualities of English language teaching ( ELT) professionals who work as instructors in intensive English programs at institutions of higher education in Turkey and Northern Cyprus. The study focused on 19 institutions of higher education in Turkey and Northern Cyprus and utilized a qualitative approach for data collection (semistructured face-to-face interviews, Skype interviews, and written responses) and analysis consistent with the principles of grounded theory methodology. The thematic analysis of the data revealed views on language teacher recruitment processes and practices in higher education and highlighted the vitality of language proficiency, openness for professional development and self-reflection, character, and pedagogical knowledge for ideal applicants for teaching positions. Administrators' perceptions regarding teacher recruitment processes and qualities of ELT professionals offer insights that are useful for developing contextually sensitive preservice and in-service teaching practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to find out whether integrating accent reduction software in advanced English language classes at the university level would result in improvements in students’ pronunciation at the segmental and sup-rasegmental levels. The study made use of a quasi-experimental research design. Two classes at the Department of Foreign Language Education at Middle East Technical University in Turkey participated in the study. Whilst one class (the control group) followed traditional instruction, the other class (experimental group) followed instruction which integrated use of accent reduction software in a multimedia language laboratory. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) settings where natural target language input is scarce, technology has a lot to offer, and EFL learners may be provided with exposure and practice/interaction opportunities in the target language through specifically designed software programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]