Teaching Across Borders and Expectations: International Teachers’ Perspectives and Instructional Adaptations with Overage Students in a U.S. Alternative Education Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.26646Keywords:
International teachers; overage students; culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy; alternative education; teacher perspectivesAbstract
This qualitative study examines how internationally trained teachers make meaning of their experiences teaching overage students in a U.S. alternative education setting. Guided by culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy and Bakhtin’s concept of authoritative discourse, anonymous qualitative survey responses were analyzed to explore how transnational teacher identity shaped instructional practice. Findings revealed four interrelated themes: reframing assumptions about overage learners, negotiating authority and linguistic legitimacy, adopting relational pedagogical practices, and navigating emotional labor and preparation gaps. The findings suggest that teaching overage students required ongoing cultural, linguistic, and professional adaptation. This study contributes to scholarship on international teacher mobility and highlights implications for supporting internationally trained educators in high-need educational settings.
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