Abstract
This qualitative multiple case-study examines how high proficiency Malaysian learners of English shape their learning over time through identity work and sustained commitment. Guided by Norton’s theory of identity as a sociocultural framework, the study worked with twelve high proficiency learners (HPL) and used semi-structured interviews, reflective narratives, and observations of digital interaction. The analysis identified three related processes. First, learners built a secure sense of self as English users through repeated public performance and teacher or peer acknowledgement. Second, they moved across family, campus, and online spaces through context-sensitive language choice, keeping close ties in Malay and other languages while placing English at the centre of study, leadership, and everyday coordination. Third, recognition as users of English linked present effort to hope for membership in academic and professional communities. When this identity was acknowledged, learners participated more regularly, accepted uncertainty in speech, and used English steadily beyond assessment. The study offers a Malaysia specific account that grounds these claims in scenes from campus and home life. For teaching, curricula should affirm students’ preferred identities, recognise translanguaging as a legitimate resource, and provide public moments of acknowledgement through feedback, peer response, and peer mentoring in class.