Impact of Student Outcomes on EFL Teacher Emotions and their Strategies to Cope with Emotional Responses
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Abstract
Teachers’ emotions are believed to have a strong impact on teachers’ teaching quality. Teachers who are satisfied with their jobs are more engaged in their professions. However, the teaching is not always joyful. Some teachers may see teaching as a source of happiness, but for others, it is a misery. This study aims to explore the impact of students’ factors namely emotions, beliefs, motivation, discipline, and performance on EFL teachers’ emotions. The study also investigates the strategies EFL teachers employ to cope with their emotional responses. A qualitative approach was employed with in-depth interviews, group discussions, and classroom observations on 12 instructors at two universities in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The findings bring to the fore a complex tapestry of emotions experienced by EFL teachers in response to the varying trajectories of student outcomes such as accomplishment, fulfillment, and pride that emerged as prevailing emotions when students excelled in their learning journey. Conversely, moments of frustration, disappointment, and self-doubt surfaced when student progress fell short of expectations. A couple of strategies found in the study that teachers often employed to deal with emotional response encompass reviewing and enhancing instructional methods, maintaining their motivation and enthusiasm, strengthening the subject knowledge, creating a supportive and autonomous learning environment, getting closer to students emotionally, adopting self-regulation and upholding a calm demeanor. The study can make some practical contributions by highlighting that teacher emotions are not just reactions to student outcomes but are worth concern in the teaching process.
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References
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