Unlocking language teacher wellbeing amid curriculum reform: A focus on emotion

Abstract

This study explored the wellbeing of four university-level teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in China before, during, and after the implementation of a new curriculum. A particular focus was given to their emotion and its impact on their wellbeing. The data was collected over the course of one academic year through three rounds of in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis. The analysis revealed various factors influencing teacher wellbeing that dynamically fluctuated throughout the reform implementation. Overall, three archetypes of language teacher wellbeing emerged: (1) ambiguous wellbeing, (2) jeopardized wellbeing, and (3) self-actualized wellbeing. Based on the findings, we propose an action-based framework for language teacher wellbeing which highlights its fluctuating nature as teachers balance resources and constraints at both personal and situational levels. Recommendations are offered to stakeholders – including policymakers, educational administrators, teacher educators, and teachers – to better support language teacher wellbeing in the context of curriculum reform.