本研究以「社會文化」（socio-cultural）研究取向，探討英語學生教師角色隱喻類別與教學信念。30位學生教師以書寫隱喻方式，針對五項開放性問題敘說個人隱喻。研究發現，傳統「農夫」與「園丁」的隱喻為多數教師認同，學生則如具成長潛力的職務象徵；專業付出、個別差異、自主學習、以及生命經驗的影響，則是隱喻類別間共同的特徵，透過「社會文化」理論視角，英語教師學習經驗歷史脈絡反映心智活動與環境交互建構的特性。本研究藉由語言隱喻的中介，不旦協助呈現英語職前教師教學信念；「社會文化」理論取向亦利於瞭解心智與社會之間綿密的互動特性。相關研究發現能提供職前教師透過角色隱喻檢驗個人教學信念，以及未來師資培育訓練理論與實務之參考。

Based on the theory of metaphorical conceptualizations and socio-cultural approach, this study explores the classification of metaphors among EFL preservice/ student teachers, and examines what shapes their beliefs about metaphors through narrative inquiry. The participants were thirty student teachers who wrote metaphors of how they conceptualize themselves metaphorically as EFL teachers according to five open questions. Results how that the most frequently represented metaphors are the traditional roles of farmer and gardener, where learners are conceived as plants with growing potential, cultivated and cared for according to their individual differences. The concepts of student-centeredness and teaching scaffolding prevail in the teaching beliefs among English preservice teachers. Emphases on professional contributions, individual differences, autonomous learning, as well as influences from personal experiences are found to be common features among various metaphorical conceptualization. The historical and personal contexts of student teachers’ learning experience are found to be fully reflected in the interwoven interactions between mental activity and socio-cultural surroundings. As a whole, this study finds that the use of metaphor as a research tool is a fruitful line of inquiry that merits further application in teaching and teacher education.