How Novice EFL Teachers Regulate Their Negative Emotions

Abstract

This research report shares the findings that emerged from a qualitative study in which the main objective was to discover whether or not novice English as a foreign language teachers regulate their negative emotions during their initial teaching practice, and if so, how they do this. The data were collected by semi-structured interviews and observations, and analyzed by microanalysis and constant comparative analysis. The participants were five novice teachers who study English at the same university, and who were giving classes as part of their internship. The results from this research revealed that these particular novice English as a foreign language teachers use different emotional strategies to regulate their negative emotions. Key words: Emotional regulation, emotions, novice EFL teachers, stages, strategies.El pro pó si to de este re por te de in ves ti ga ción es com par tir los ha llaz gos de un es tu dio cua li ta ti vo cuyo ob je ti vo prin ci pal fue des cu brir si los maes tros prin ci pian tes de in glés como len gua ex tran je ra regu lan sus emo cio nes ne ga ti vas du ran te su prác ti ca ini cial y de ser así, cómo lo ha cen. La in for ma ción fue re co lec ta da usan do en tre vis tas semi-es truc tu ra das y ob ser va cio nes. Di cha in for ma ción fue ana li za da usan do mi croa ná li sis y aná li sis de cons tan te com pa ra ción. Los par ti ci pan tes de esta in ves ti ga ción son cin co maes tros prin ci pian tes que es tu dian in glés en la mis ma uni ver si dad y que como ser vi cio so cial esta ban im par tien do cla ses. Los re sul ta dos de la in ves ti ga ción re ve lan que es tos maes tros principiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera usan diferentes estrategias emocionales para regular sus emociones negativas.Pa la bras cla ve: emo cio nes, es tra te gias, eta pas, maes tros prin ci pian tes de in glés como len gua extran je ra, re gu la ción emo cio nal.

Beginning EFL Teachers' Emotional Labor Strategies in the Chinese Context

“…Finally, they experienced the interaction with administrators as encouraging and inspiring. Tejeda et al (2016) pointed out that EFL teaching is full of emotional labor, and their research confirmed that beginning EFL teachers reduce the influence of negative emotions through emotion regulation. Drawing on data from semistructured interviews and observations, they summarized the strategies five EFL teachers in Mexico used for emotion regulation, including selecting situations, cognitive change, modifying the emotional experience and expression.…”

Emotions Attributions of ELT Pre-service Teachers and Their Effects on Teaching Practice

“…Negative emotions are usually experienced by preservice teachers because of students' poor participation, passiveness, noisiness, lack of motivation, and tiredness among other aspects (Nguyen, 2018). Although Gu and Day (2007) found that pre-service teachers with a teaching vocation are more resilient to negative experiences, negative emotions are also experienced by pre-service teachers who have the calling for teaching (Arizmendi Tejeda et al, 2016). Nevertheless, pre-service teachers with a vocation tend to see negative emotions in an optimistic way, which prevent them from losing energy and motivation (Cross & Hong, 2012).…”

“…Two studies focused on Mexican pre-service teachers were analysed. Arizmendi Tejeda, Gillings de González, and López Martínez (2016) investigated if novice teachers used strategies to regulate the negative emotions experienced during practicum. They used observations and semi-structured interviews to collect data.…”

“…As stated by Arizmendi Tejeda et al (2016), preservice teachers who embrace teaching as a vocation tend to enjoy teaching, but this does not prevent them from experiencing negative emotions, which may affect their motivation (p. 40). In this study, having students who participated and showed interest in the activities designed for them motivated pre-service teachers to continue working.…”

Investigation of EFL Student Teachers’ Emotional Responses to Affective Situations during Practicum

“…They also influence their decisions, conduct, attitudes, actions and reactions. Therefore, humans find it impossible to separate emotions from actions and base their acts on logic alone (Rodrigo-Ruiz, 2016;Smith & Firth, 2018;Arizmendi Tejeda, Gillings de Gonzalez & Lopez Martinez, 2016). Benesch (2017, p.16) stated that "emotions are innate but originate in the brain and allow human beings to respond to the challenges of their daily life.…”