Unpacking the complexity of English language teacher-tutor identities in Kazakhstan: a qualitative inquiry

Abstract

Research on English private tutoring (EPT) is still in its infancy despite its global impact on education systems and society. Informed by the poststructuralist view of identity, this qualitative study investigates the relatively underexplored area of the complex identities of English language teacher-supplied EPT in Central Asia. The data were collected from two rounds of semi-structured individual interviews with 22 English language teachers from five mainstream schools in Astana, Kazakhstan. The findings suggest that most participants identified economic benefit as the main reason for providing EPT, embodying multiple identities such as ‘commercialised education providers,’ ‘Robin Hood’ teachers (offering free tutoring to selected students), and individuals entangled in ‘unethical practices’ (confronting moral dilemmas related to tutoring their students). The participants reported ethical and professional conflicts stemming from the lack of effective monitoring of the tutoring market in Kazakhstan. These conflicts include accommodating requests from tutored students’ parents and encouraging their students to attend EPT with them or to enrol in a tutorial centre where they worked. This study stresses the need for policymakers to improve the quality of teaching in mainstream education and implement effective regulatory measures for the tutoring industry while also examining the nature and effectiveness of fee-free tutoring.