Abstract

The objective of this research was to analyze social representations of teacher identity in future special education teachers in Chile, with a focus on their implications for role construction and the challenges of initial teacher education. The research employed a biographical methodology and interpretive approach aimed at gaining insight into a sample of 19 preservice special education students from five Chilean universities. Information was collected through biographical interviews examined using grounded theory. The results show that social representations of teacher identity are rooted in an association of the image of teachers with teacher characteristics and roles, and the process of constructing these social representations begins at school and is influenced by initial teacher education. These results provide relevant information for understanding how teacher identity is constructed and for developing strategies to strengthen it during initial teacher education. © (2025), (Universidad Autonoma de Baja California). All rights reserved.