High Inhibitions and Low Self-esteem as Factors Contributing to Foreign Language Teacher Stress

Wieczorek, Anna

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-32954-3_13

Cited by 26 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A particular context of interest for language educator wellbeing is those language teachers working in the private sector, often on zero hours contracts (e.g. Wieczorek, 2016). The reason this group is especially important to understand is that they often have very little practical, structural or union-type support.…”

Section: Language Teacher Wellbeingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, particularly in language education, a large number of teachers are employed in the private sector where difficult conditions prevail including unstable working conditions, lack of collective voice/union, and low prestige (e.g. Bowen, 2013;Walsh, 2019;Wieczorek, 2016); all of which can negatively affect wellbeing (D'Souza et al, 2005;Lewchuk, 2017). Maslach and Leiter (1999, p. 303) conclude that, 'the most valuable and costly part of an education system are the people who teach.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective

Mercer

2020

Language Teaching Research

120

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The teaching profession has been characterized as having high levels of stress and record rates of burnout and attrition. Language teaching is no exception to this global trend. Indeed, it could be argued that it is subject to additional specific stressors such as high intercultural and linguistic demands as well as the frequent use of energy-intense methodologies. Generally, language teacher psychology has been relatively neglected in research; however, those working in the private sector have almost exclusively been ignored. In terms of wellbeing, this is especially problematic given concerns about their working conditions. Therefore, this study takes an ecological perspective to investigating the wellbeing of teachers of English language teaching (ELT) working in the private sector in Malta. Eight volunteer teachers took part in a series of two semi-structured interviews assisted by visual prompts and journal entries. The data were analysed using a grounded Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach and presented in line with the ecological perspective. The main findings revealed how the teachers’ wellbeing is defined by the business model character of the private sector in particular in terms of working conditions and status of the ELT profession in Malta. For the teachers, this very often means precarity in terms of the job and future prospects. However, the study also revealed aspects of positivity. For example, teachers reported enjoying their teaching, positive relationships with colleagues and students, and a positive work climate, which varied across institutions. The findings suggest implications for good practice in the field and directions for further research.

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Section: Language Teacher Wellbeingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective

Mercer

2020

Language Teaching Research

120

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“…En primer lugar, la práctica totalidad de participantes declaran que el elemento que mayor malestar docente les ocasiona una vez que tienen que afrontar las prácticas externas es una serie de carencias formativas durante el Grado en Educación Primaria, así como también de la mención de LE. Coincide este elemento con los datos aportados por Wieczoreck (2016) en el contexto polaco.…”

Section: Resultados Y Análisisunclassified

Percepciones sobre el Bienestar Docente del Profesorado de EFL en Formación

Pulido¹

2017

Porta Linguarum Revista Interuniversitaria De Didáctica De Las Lenguas Extranjeras

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Este artículo pretende conocer cuáles son las percepciones de los maestros y maestras de inglés como lengua extranjera (EFL) en materia de bienestar docente, una vez que están realizando sus prácticas externas en un centro escolar. Hemos utilizado una metodología de investigación cualitativa a través de un grupo de discusión integrado por doce estudiantes del Grado en Educación Primaria de la Universidad de Granada. El análisis de los resultados revela que esta cohorte percibe una formación universitaria en bienestar docente y transversal muy deficitaria. Asimismo, se pone de manifiesto que los planes de estudio no recogen supuestos prácticos y que las diferentes materias del plan de estudios no reflejan la realidad que se vive en las aulas; situaciones todas estas que influyen negativamente en su bienestar docente. Palabras clave: bienestar docente, profesorado de EFL en formación, investigación cualitativa, grupo de discusión. EFL Teacher Trainees' Perceptions on Teacher WellbeingABSTRACT: This paper pursues to know how EFL teacher trainees perceive teacher wellbeing while they are immersed in their school practice period. The methodology used is based on a qualitative approach, more specifically, a focus group composed of twelve EFL pre-service teachers (University of Granada). The results of the analysis shed light on their lack of training in teacher wellbeing. In addition, there is a claim that the teaching curriculum does not take into account case studies and they also state that the course content of the degree in Primary Education do not fit with the reality of the classroom they are experiencing. These findings clearly reflect a negative impact on their teacher wellbeing.

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“…language education is no exception to this trend'. In addition to the challenges facing many teachers such as increased teaching complexity including the use of digital literacy skills, growing administrative tasks, challenging student behaviour, continual reforms, standardised testing, league tables (Kyriacou 2001;Day & Gu 2010;Rogers 2012), language teachers specifically often face additional stresses caused by the lack of job security typical in the profession (Wieczorek 2016) and the potential threat of low language skill self-efficacy and subsequent language anxiety, particularly for those for whom the language taught is not their first language (L1). As Horwitz (1996: 367) explains: 'while a mathematics or history teacher can prepare the materials necessary to a specific lesson, language teachers must always be ready to speak the language in front of the class'.…”

Section: Why We Need To Understand Teacher Psychology: the Teacher Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychology for language learning: Spare a thought for the teacher

Mercer¹

2018

Lang. Teach.

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There is a wide body of research that shows how vitally important teachers are to successful learning processes. What they do, think, feel and believe are central to what happens in their classrooms, and, essentially, what happens to their learners. It is perhaps, therefore, surprising that the field of language learning psychology has focused so predominantly on the psychology of learners with so little attention devoted to teachers in comparison. In this talk, I argue it is time that we take a much closer look at language teachers’ psychology to the same degree of complexity and diversity as learner psychology has been examined. I begin by outlining the importance of teacher psychology, the links between teacher and learner psychology as well as the particular challenges facing language teachers. In the second part of the talk, I reflect on how a relational perspective can help us to appreciate the centrality of teacher psychology as well as how teacher psychology can be conceptualised through such a theoretical lens.

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High Inhibitions and Low Self-esteem as Factors Contributing to Foreign Language Teacher Stress

Cited by 26 publications

References 15 publications

The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective

The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective

Percepciones sobre el Bienestar Docente del Profesorado de EFL en Formación

Psychology for language learning: Spare a thought for the teacher

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