Diagram 2。1 Four-dimension structure of ETPI of high school

2。4 The features of ETPI

From the results of study in foreign countries, features of ETPI are as follows: relativity---identity is not someone’s constant attitude, but a changeable one; mobility, contradiction and occasionality---identity is usually where we try to fight ourselves (Peirce, 1995), and also identity would able to reflect mixed social and interpersonal relations, and are framed through social negotiation。 But Phan also made an objection to the mobility, he believed that it was relative stability。

These features mirror the fact that no one would rose all the way during his or her professional development, no matter which field he or she works in。 Identity crisis always happens。 Just like other professions, TPI crisis is accompanied by modern crisis。 (qtd。 Bolivar&Domingo, 2006)

Chinese scholars Hao Caihong(2010) and Xu Yueting(2011) have also discussed features of ETPI when they were analyzing changes on identities of college English teachers。 During the study, Hao noticed that four identity change features coexisted as productivity, additivity, reduction and fissility, and the last also implies contradiction in ETPI。 Relevantly, Xu (2011) observed that identities of college English teachers were undergoing the negotiation between “an actual one” and “a target one” in the reform of evaluation。 文献综述

So based on the analysis above, conclusion can be drawn out that the definitions of TPI are not agreed, and not precise or comprehensive enough, let alone the ones of professional identity of high school English teachers, which are even less sufficient。 Therefore, this research will try to define the professional identity of high school English teachers according to their characters and working environments in China。 

2。5 The influencing factors of ETPI

According to experts in this area of research, ETPI is influenced by many factors and conditions inside and outside the classroom。 Factors and conditions inside the classroom consists of the self evaluation of the teachers and their students judgments, which are how successful students thinks they are。 Factors and conditions outside the classroom refer to personal issues such as whether the teacher has a happy marriage or family, whether he or she is taking a part-time job or not, etc。 

From Nias’ point of view, the other factors and conditions are related to teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, mindsets, etc。 These factors affect the ways their identities as professionals are formed。 And besides, there are societal pressures and conditions such as others’ expectations that shape a teacher’s identity。 (qtd。 In Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014:1992)

2。6 The effects of TPI

TPI has an inseparable link with teachers’ professional development (hereafter TPD)。 First, the subject of ETPI and PD are both teachers, and they are all related with teachers’ professional activities。 Besides, professional identity or major identity remains one of important dimensions of TPI。 After detailed research, people have made two discoveries。 One is that professional knowledge and teaching experience have actually pushed forward the formation and development of a teacher’s identity。 And the other is that the change of the identity also affects TPD a lot。 Just as Ajayi (2011) has pointed out those English teachers’ sociocultural identities can hugely make a difference to their teaching practice。 In China, Huang Jing (2010) who has obtained twenty-year English teaching experience in the mainland, have stated that the improvement of professional abilities are helpful to the promotion of TPI, which would inspire people’s motivation and accelerate career growth in turn。