A queer learner’s identity positioning in second language classroom discourse

This case study examines the classroom participation of a Korean queer (transgender) learner of English as a second language at a language institute for international adult students in the United States. To understand the dynamics of this learner’s participation, we focus on how she constructed gender identity and learner identity in interaction. Our analysis indicates that although the class content was not designed to elicit biographic information from students, this learner agentively managed her gender identity expression, which, at times, was met with challenge by her peers. As a second language learner, she self-positioned both as a lazy student and an effective language user – contradictory positionings that might be explained by the disconnection between the class content and the cultural capital that she sought to gain. Our study extends research on investment in second language learning by examining identity positioning in actual discourses and by linking classroom interaction and the learner’s experiences outside of the classroom. The analysis can also inform researchers and teachers about the complexities and nuances of gender identity construction and negotiation in classroom discourse.