“First Be Myself, Then Learn to Become a Teacher”: Exploring Pre‐Service Language Teacher Identity Construction in China

ABSTRACT Language teacher identity (LTI) has attracted growing attention in language teacher education, yet relatively little research has examined how pre‐service language teachers construct teacher identities across both reflective accounts and naturally occurring classroom interactions. This qualitative study investigates how two pre‐service English language teachers in Southwest China constructed teacher identities during teaching practicum, drawing on classroom observations, interviews, and written reflections. The findings highlight three interconnected dimensions of teacher identity construction: interpreting and evaluating classroom experiences, negotiating self‐ascribed and other‐ascribed teacher identities within mentoring relationships, and imagining possible teacher selves. By examining classroom interaction alongside participants’ interpretations of their teaching experiences, the study provides a situated account of how pre‐service language teachers understood and negotiated their emerging professional identities during teaching practicum. The findings underscore the significance of classroom experiences, mentoring relationships, and imagination in understanding pre‐service LTI construction.