| Author: | Wang, Chun |
| Title: | Persuasion in self-branding : exploring how English teachers promote themselves on social media platforms |
| Advisors: | Ho, Jenifer (ENGL) |
| Degree: | M.A. |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Department: | Department of English and Communication |
| Pages: | 73 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | This study explores the persuasive strategies adopted by English teachers on REDnote for self-branding. It employs a mixed-method research design, integrating a case study and a survey. A questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were conducted to understand how the audience perceives the persuasiveness of online English teachers on REDnote. Through a multimodal analysis of four teachers’ accounts, the study investigates how online English teachers construct certain identities with various semiotic resources to engage the audiences and communicate their expertise. The persuasion principles underlying the identity negotiation are interpreted throughout the data analysis. The study highlights the importance of entertainment attributes, relatability, and approachability in creating emotional appeals. It is argued that social media serves as an informal educational setting, where equality and interaction are highly valued in terms of the teacher-student relationship. Moreover, the study uncovers the significance of pedagogical competence and perceived authenticity in fostering trustworthiness, alongside skepticism toward highly filtered celebrity images. This paper argues that online English teachers’ self-branding strategies should be tailored to the needs of their target audiences. In the meantime, the teachers’ strengths and personal traits should also be identified and exploited while self-branding, which can help them stand out in the competitive marketplace. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8852.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 3.99 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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