Published : 2024-12-27

How Do Turning Points from One’s Past Impact the Perception of a Foreign Language?

Biographical Interviews with Experienced Foreign Language Teachers through the Lens of Complexity Theory

Abstract

The aim of the article is to show how apparently elusive past experiences, called turning points in this text, may impact people’s experiencing a foreign language later in their lives. The study reports on a narrative inquiry study which concerns three late-career foreign language (English, German and French) teachers. The participants’ biographies are considered with regard to Complex Dynamic Systems Theory from a three-stage sequence: 1) experiencing a new situation, 2) confronting a challenge, 3) gaining a new insight into a foreign language. It transpires from the study that the turning point in all the cases fulfils two functions: causes a sudden change in the participants’ beliefs on a foreign language and provides a reference point for what a language is for the participants in the long run.

Keywords:

turning points, foreign language teachers, professional biographies, oreign language, Complex Dynamic Systems Theory



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Werbinska, D. (2024). How Do Turning Points from One’s Past Impact the Perception of a Foreign Language? Biographical Interviews with Experienced Foreign Language Teachers through the Lens of Complexity Theory. Biografistyka Pedagogiczna [Biographical Studies in Education], 9(2), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.36578/BP.2024.09.59

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"Biografistyka Pedagogiczna" received funding for the years 2022-2024 from the funds of the Minister of Education and Science under the programme „Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych”.

Project duration: 2023-2024.

The amount of co-financing is 65 992,00 PLN

Contract number: RCN/SP/0434/2021/1