The Invisible Influencers: Understanding the Motivation, Emotions, and Well-Being of Language Teacher Educators
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| Title: | The Invisible Influencers: Understanding the Motivation, Emotions, and Well-Being of Language Teacher Educators |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Sarah Mercer (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning. 2025 7(1):27-44. |
| Availability: | International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning. 1114 W Call Street, College of Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306. e-mail: jpll.editors@gmail.com; Web site: http://jpll.org/index.php/journal |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Higher Education Postsecondary Education Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Language Teachers, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, English (Second Language), Well Being, Teacher Attitudes, Foreign Countries, Teacher Educators, Teacher Education Programs, Preservice Teachers, Psychological Needs, Teacher Characteristics, Elementary Secondary Education, Higher Education, Career Development, Faculty Workload, Research, Work Environment, Teaching Load |
| Geographic Terms: | Austria, Germany |
| ISSN: | 2642-7001 |
| Abstract: | Language teacher educators (LTEs) play a critical role in quality education and have a considerable potential impact on pre-service teachers as well as their future pupils. Yet, there is only limited work that seeks to understand their needs and psychologies as individuals. They remain virtually 'invisible' in research terms as a population. In our study, we set out to understand the motivation, emotions, and well-being of 12 English LTEs in Austria (n = 7) and Germany (n = 5) with two different trajectories and profiles, namely, school-based (n = 3) and university-based (n = 9) drawing on semi-structured interview data. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four main themes emerging from the data: a heterogeneity in LTEs' motivation and related career trajectories, diverse sources of positivity and negativity, issues surrounding well-being, and different experiences of the tension between researching and teaching. The paper raises questions about how LTEs can be researched as such a diverse community and the benefits of ecological perspectives, and it asks vital questions about how systems and structures need to be designed to support LTEs in their work and professional development. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1478785 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Language teacher educators (LTEs) play a critical role in quality education and have a considerable potential impact on pre-service teachers as well as their future pupils. Yet, there is only limited work that seeks to understand their needs and psychologies as individuals. They remain virtually 'invisible' in research terms as a population. In our study, we set out to understand the motivation, emotions, and well-being of 12 English LTEs in Austria (n = 7) and Germany (n = 5) with two different trajectories and profiles, namely, school-based (n = 3) and university-based (n = 9) drawing on semi-structured interview data. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed four main themes emerging from the data: a heterogeneity in LTEs' motivation and related career trajectories, diverse sources of positivity and negativity, issues surrounding well-being, and different experiences of the tension between researching and teaching. The paper raises questions about how LTEs can be researched as such a diverse community and the benefits of ecological perspectives, and it asks vital questions about how systems and structures need to be designed to support LTEs in their work and professional development. |
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| ISSN: | 2642-7001 |
