Coercive Conditions and Strategic Compliance: Vietnamese EFL Teacher Identity Construction and Neoliberal Values

This sequential mixed-methods study examined how private sector EFL job advertisements in Vietnam portray ideal Vietnamese teachers and the impact on language teacher identity (LTI) construction. Quantitative content analysis of 35 online advertisements revealed the heavy prioritisation of high International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores and desirable personality traits over formal teaching qualifications and experience. Subsequent semi-structured interviews with five Vietnamese teachers with varying backgrounds in public and private sectors elicited their perceived reasons behind such representations, tying them to institutional support for IELTS, inadequate regulatory oversight, and the marketisation of education driven by neoliberal forces. Thematic analysis uncovered complex LTI negotiations, with teachers simultaneously resisting assigned identities as low-skilled, untrained professionals while succumbing to the pragmatic need for high test scores and emotional labour to maintain employability within challenging systemic constraints. The study illuminates the intricate process of LTI construction at the intersection of discourse, power dynamics, competing interests, and contextual adaptations. These findings contribute to our understanding of how neoliberal ideologies shape teacher identities and practices in emerging educational markets, offering insights for policymakers, teacher educators, and language professionals navigating the evolving landscape of global English language teaching.