English Language Teachers’ Vision and Motivation: Possible Selves and Activity Theory Perspectives

• Published in: RELC journal 2019-12, Vol.50 (3), p.457-474
• Main Authors: Rahmati, Teymour, Sadeghi, Karim, Ghaderi, Farah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aspiration; English (Second Language); English as a second language; English as a second language instruction; English Teachers; Expectation; Foreign Countries; Motivation; Second language teachers; Self Concept; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher education; Teacher Motivation
• ISSN: 0033-6882; 1745-526X
• DOI: 10.1177/0033688218777321

Recent research has identified a direct link between language teachers’ self and motivation, and their relationship with conceptual change and professional development. A better understanding of the exact manner in which language teachers’ perceptions of self interact with their motivation, however, requires further empirical evidence from a variety of contexts employing various research methods. Drawing upon possible selves theory and Activity Theory, the present mixed-methods research explored language teacher vision and its relationship with motivation in the Iranian state sector language education context. In the first qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 teachers on their vision and motivation to teach English. In the second quantitative phase, a researcher-developed questionnaire informed by the interview data was electronically administered to in-service language teachers (N = 211). Data analysis identified a typology of English language teacher vision and a positive relationship (r = .59) between vision and motivation. A coefficient determination of around 35% showed the degree of covariance between the two constructs. Furthermore, the study indicated that some contradictions among the rules, tools, community, and division-of-labour components of language teacher motivation activity system mediated the motivational force of vision. The study implies that teacher education programmes should raise English language teachers’ awareness of the positive motivational force of vision.