EFL Teachers’ Responses to Crisis: Investigating Pedagogical Adaptations, Trauma-Sensitive Practices, and Teacher Identity after Earthquake

Abstract

Two major earthquakes, measuring 7.8 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, occurred within a ninehour period in Türkiye’s southern region on February 6, 2023. These earthquakes affected 11 provinces, including various aspects of life such as education. Consequently, the Higher Education Council (YOK) in Türkiye postponed the commencement date of the spring term in all higher education institutions until further notice. To support the affected universities, YOK paired eight universities from the impacted areas with eight other universities to collaborate in commencing and conducting educational practices. This study aimed to investigate how Amy, a senior English lecturer at one of these host universities, negotiated her teacher identity while supporting an earthquake-affected university. The participant was selected through the purposeful sampling method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and written teacher reflections to gain a better understanding of identity negotiations during times of uncertainty. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The results of this qualitative case study suggest that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers negotiate their identities in response to challenging crises. One of the significant findings of this study is that EFL teachers need to learn how to manage trauma-sensitive classrooms by employing strategic adaptations to minimize the impact of crises.