The dilemma of being English language teachers: Interpreting teachers’ motivation to teach, and professional commitment in China’s hinterland regions

Abstract

This article reports on an inquiry into a group of English language teachers' professional experiences that interpreted their motivation to teach and their shifting professional commitment with reference to representations and visions that they had and did not have about themselves in rural secondary schools in China's hinterland regions. It revealed that the association between the participants' social mobility and English competence and their visions of the 'ideal self' pushed them to join the teaching profession, which they disliked at the very start. Their subsequent association of teaching with their visions of the 'ideal self' in teaching paradoxically caused fluctuations in their commitment to teaching, as the pursuit of English competence and idealized professional roles were constrained by contextual realities. Due to the significant roles that these teachers have in improving English language education in China's hinterland areas, it has become imperative for teacher educators and educational administrators to take measures for retention of English teachers while supporting their professional development efforts.

Understanding Language Teachers’ Motivations Towards Research

“…While the congruence between the different selves can strengthen and enhance motivations, the conflicts (i.e., self‐discrepancies) between different selves might induce negative emotions with detrimental impact on motivations (Higgins, ). However, by employing self‐regulatory strategies (e.g., self‐reflection) and seeking external support, individuals might be able to reduce the self‐discrepancies and regain their motivations (Gao & Xu, ).…”

Beyond Cognition to Commitment: English Language Teaching in South Korean Primary Schools

“…Gao and Xu () examined the professional commitment of English language teachers in rural China, where they faced high expectations for being traditional selfless teachers but challenging conditions for achieving modern individual aims. The participants were attracted to learning English as a means of achieving social mobility and their ideal selves, and although eight out of ten did not want to be teachers, they had few other options.…”

“…Pennington, 1995). Case studies (Gao & Xu, 2014;Hayes, 2005Hayes, , 2008Hayes, , 2009Hayes, , 2010Hiver, 2013;Johnston, 1997) drawing on teacher life history and sometimes other theoretical approaches suggest the potential for the more focused examination of commitment undertaken in this study.…”

Teacher Development in Higher Education in an EFL Context: Why Evaluate and How to Evaluate?

“…Teacher development practices are singularly connected with their autonomy as active and self-effective teachers (Hiver, 2013;Hokka & Etelapelto, 2014). Their roles as teachers and knowledge transmitters define their professional development preferences and shape their individual and collaborative propensities (Dierking & Fox, 2012;Gao & Xu, 2014). In fact, Dierking and Fox research findings (2012) underscore the fact that teacher agency in professional development is mandatory for teacher education to be an empowerment and effectiveness instrument.…”