1 Introduction

This section introduces the current development of Chinese language education in Southeast Asia and points out the new challenges faced by teachers amid the trend of younger learners. It emphasizes the importance of metaphor in teacher education research, reviews the developmental history of teacher metaphor studies, and identifies limitations in previous research, such as the lack of learner perspectives and methodological uniformity. The section introduces the multimodal teacher metaphor analysis framework adopted in this paper, which examines the identity traits of Chinese teachers in Southeast Asia through the analysis of teacher metaphors in adolescents' drawings, and proposes recommendations for teacher cultivation and professional development.

2 Research and Design

This chapter outlines the research design for studying Chinese teacher metaphors in the drawings of Southeast Asian adolescents. The study selected primary and secondary schools in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia as case schools, as these countries are representative of Chinese language education development in the region. Data were collected through visual metaphor creation, guiding students to express their perceptions of Chinese teachers through drawings and text. The research steps included a pre-test, adjustments to testing requirements, collection and screening of works, resulting in 72 valid pieces. The study aims to explore the categories and characteristics of multimodal metaphors for Chinese teachers in Southeast Asia, as well as adolescents' understanding of the roles of Chinese teachers, providing insights for teacher training.

3 Analysis and Discussion of Research Findings

Based on 72 drawings by Southeast Asian adolescents, this chapter analyzes 40 Chinese teacher metaphors, categorizing them into 7 conceptual groups across three themes. Metaphors highlighting the role of Chinese teachers account for 47%, including "providers of language and cultural knowledge," "cultivators of Chinese learners," and "facilitators of international exchanges," such as multimodal metaphors like "books," "tour guides," and "beacons," reflecting teachers' significant roles in knowledge transmission, student growth guidance, and international exchange. Metaphors showcasing Chinese teachers' traits make up 44%, integrating Southeast Asian and Chinese cultural elements to depict teacher images in terms of personality, abilities, and professional ethics, such as "pandas," "cheongsam," and "smiling Buddhas," reflecting teachers' approachability and cross-cultural adaptability. Metaphors exposing shortcomings of Chinese teachers account for 9%, such as "molds," "wooden figures," and "parrots," revealing deficiencies in teaching philosophy, methods, and emotional engagement. The source domains of these metaphors predominantly derive from nature, daily life, and human behavior, aligning with adolescents' cognitive styles and offering insights for teacher development and training.

4 Recommendations for Cultivation and Development of Chinese Teachers in Southeast Asia

This section provides recommendations for the cultivation and development of Chinese teachers in Southeast Asia. First, it emphasizes enhancing cross-cultural communication skills, advocating that Chinese teachers integrate into local cultures, understand cultural characteristics, and adopt teaching methods suited to students' cultural backgrounds. Second, it promotes a learner-centered approach, encouraging shifts in teaching philosophies to stimulate learning interest and foster independent learning and innovative thinking. Third, it underscores the importance of caring for learners' growth, building positive teacher-student relationships, and creating an open and inclusive learning environment. Finally, it advocates for the implementation of lifelong learning principles, strengthening pre-service and in-service training, establishing platforms for local teacher capacity building, and encouraging teacher self-reflection and academic research to elevate the overall quality of the teaching workforce and facilitate the international dissemination of Chinese culture.

5 Conclusion

This chapter summarizes the Chinese teacher metaphors presented in the drawings of Southeast Asian adolescents, analyzes the Chinese and Southeast Asian cultural elements reflected in them, explores the impact of teacher metaphors on the perception of Chinese teachers' roles, highlights the significance of teacher metaphors in teacher professional development research, and offers prospects for future research directions.