Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?

This study examined the relationships between teacher motivation (TM) and perceived burnout of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers in Chile. A particular focus was given to demotivators and their impact on TM and burnout. The impact of COVID-19 was considered. Given that EFL teachers tend t...

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Main Authors: Masatoshi Sato, Francisca Fernández Castillo, Juan Carlos Oyanedel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.891452/full
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author Masatoshi Sato
Francisca Fernández Castillo
Juan Carlos Oyanedel
author_facet Masatoshi Sato
Francisca Fernández Castillo
Juan Carlos Oyanedel
author_sort Masatoshi Sato
collection DOAJ
description This study examined the relationships between teacher motivation (TM) and perceived burnout of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers in Chile. A particular focus was given to demotivators and their impact on TM and burnout. The impact of COVID-19 was considered. Given that EFL teachers tend to be second language (L2) learners of English themselves, the study also investigated how TM and L2 motivation interact with each other. The participants were 154 school-level teachers with a range of backgrounds (teaching experience, geographic areas, and school sectors). In the questionnaire, four scales were included: (a) autonomous motivation for teaching; (b) demotivators; (c) perceived burnout; and (d) L2 motivation. Fifteen teachers were interviewed in order to triangulate the survey results. Structural equation modeling showed that TM negatively predicted perceived burnout, suggesting that it can counter teachers’ emotional exhaustion and their perceived lack of personal accomplishment. Demotivators predicted TM positively, albeit weakly. L2 motivation was found to be only weakly related to TM. Qualitative findings indicated that teaching experience mediated the role that demotivators played in relation to TM. Experienced teachers, especially those who held intrinsic motivation to teach, channeled the impact of demotivators, including those relating to the pandemic, to a positive motivational force to teach. The study implies the importance of considering teachers as agents and devising an educational system in which their mental health is prioritized.
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spelling doaj.art-a5f55af43338475da2237b79801bfa822022-12-22T02:09:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-04-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.891452891452Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?Masatoshi Sato0Francisca Fernández Castillo1Juan Carlos Oyanedel2Department of English, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, ChileTrewhela’s School, Santiago, ChileFaculty of Education and Social Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, ChileThis study examined the relationships between teacher motivation (TM) and perceived burnout of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers in Chile. A particular focus was given to demotivators and their impact on TM and burnout. The impact of COVID-19 was considered. Given that EFL teachers tend to be second language (L2) learners of English themselves, the study also investigated how TM and L2 motivation interact with each other. The participants were 154 school-level teachers with a range of backgrounds (teaching experience, geographic areas, and school sectors). In the questionnaire, four scales were included: (a) autonomous motivation for teaching; (b) demotivators; (c) perceived burnout; and (d) L2 motivation. Fifteen teachers were interviewed in order to triangulate the survey results. Structural equation modeling showed that TM negatively predicted perceived burnout, suggesting that it can counter teachers’ emotional exhaustion and their perceived lack of personal accomplishment. Demotivators predicted TM positively, albeit weakly. L2 motivation was found to be only weakly related to TM. Qualitative findings indicated that teaching experience mediated the role that demotivators played in relation to TM. Experienced teachers, especially those who held intrinsic motivation to teach, channeled the impact of demotivators, including those relating to the pandemic, to a positive motivational force to teach. The study implies the importance of considering teachers as agents and devising an educational system in which their mental health is prioritized.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.891452/fullteacher motivationdemotivatorsburnoutsecond language motivationself-determination theorynon-native-speaking teachers
spellingShingle Masatoshi Sato
Francisca Fernández Castillo
Juan Carlos Oyanedel
Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
Frontiers in Psychology
teacher motivation
demotivators
burnout
second language motivation
self-determination theory
non-native-speaking teachers
title Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
title_full Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
title_fullStr Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
title_full_unstemmed Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
title_short Teacher Motivation and Burnout of English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers: Do Demotivators Really Demotivate Them?
title_sort teacher motivation and burnout of english as a foreign language teachers do demotivators really demotivate them
topic teacher motivation
demotivators
burnout
second language motivation
self-determination theory
non-native-speaking teachers
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.891452/full
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AT juancarlosoyanedel teachermotivationandburnoutofenglishasaforeignlanguageteachersdodemotivatorsreallydemotivatethem