Learning difficulty and learner identity: a symbiotic relationship

Abstract

This paper reports on a longitudinal case study of an adult EFL learner who perceived himself as having difficulty learning English. Both learning difficulty and learner identity are viewed as being constructed in discursive interactions throughout one's life and, hence, amenable to reconstruction. Data collected from classroom interactions, interviews, and learner and teacher–researcher diaries show that this learner's difficulty and identity were deeply intertwined and influenced each other. The discussion of the findings is divided into three parts: past EFL learning experiences that shaped his identity, examples of the mutual relationship between learning difficulty and learner identity, and pedagogical actions that aimed at, and somewhat succeeded in, triggering the transformation of the student's identity. The results of this study are promising and offer teachers a more empowering and optimistic way of dealing with students who present difficulty learning English.