Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on New Trends in Teaching and Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
[PDF]
EFL Teacher Motivation in Bilingual School Contexts: Focus on Influencing Factors and Rewards
Maliheh Rezaei
ABSTRACT:
Research on EFL teacher motivation in bilingual schools has been quite scarce. To fill this gap, this study investigated EFL teachers’ key motivating factors and the rewards at a bilingual school in Iran. The intrinsic/extrinsic motivation distinction served as the main theoretical framework of the study. It also considered the recent trends that emphasize the role of self and contextual factors that contribute to teachers’ persistence in the profession. The study applied a mixed-method research design and data were collected through two questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrated the importance of a wide range of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in motivating EFL teachers. More value was placed on intrinsic factors specifically ‘having an enjoyable and stimulating job’ rather than the extrinsic factors. However, extrinsic factors related to external recognition of the teachers’ efforts by their supervisors and students, and factors related to organization and work benefits, such as job security, played an important role in satisfying the teachers. Moreover, the teachers’ perception of the rewards received lower satisfactory ratings implying that the rewards were somehow incongruent with what motivated teachers. Overall, the findings suggest that certain characteristics of bilingual schools in Iran, such as the autonomy to use diverse materials, can contribute to a higher level of job satisfaction among EFL teachers.
keywords: EFL teacher, motivation, reward, bilingual school