Modeling teacher emotionality and identity through structural equation modeling (SEM): English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in focus

Subject Areas : Curriculum Design and Development

Masoud Mortazavi Nezhad ¹ , Fazlolah Samimi ² , Shahram Afraz ³

1 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran.
2 - Department of English Language, Bandar Abbas Branch. Islamic Azad University, Bandar Abbas, Iran
3 - Department of English Language, Qeshm Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qeshm, Iran

Received: 2024-05-19 Accepted : 2024-08-25 Published : 2024-09-20

Keywords: : Emotionality, Identity, Teacher Emotionality, Teacher Identity,

Abstract :

The term ‘teacher emotions’ is defined as feelings and affections teachers experience in their professional practice. Teacher identity, as the beliefs, values, and perceptions that teachers hold about themselves and their roles, holds paramount importance in the realm of education as it profoundly shapes the teaching and learning process. This study sought to delve into modeling EFL teachers’ emotionality and identity. In so doing, a quantitative correlational design was used. The participants employed included 200 Iranian male and female EFL teachers who were selected from different language institutes of Iran through convenient sampling. To collect the data, the Teacher Emotionality Questionnaire and the Revised Identity Style Inventory (ISI-5) were used. To analyze the data, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was run. As unveiled by the results, positive emotionality (i.e., enjoyment, responsiveness, emotional support and flexibility) was a direct and significant predictor of informational identity. Positive emotionality was a negative and significant predictor of diffuse-avoidant identity. Negative emotionality (i.e., anxiety and burnout) was a significant and negative predictor of informational and normative identity. Negative emotionality was a significant and positive predictor of diffuse-avoidant identity. Congruent with the findings, it is concluded that Iranian EFL teachers are exposed to different kinds of positive and negative emotions. The results also lead to the conclusion that diffuse-avoidant identity aspect is weak in teachers who experience positive emotions. In sum, it is concluded that emotionality and identity aspects are interrelated in EFL teachers. EFL teachers should make attempts to experience more positive emotions than negative ones so that their identity is developed in a positive and authentic direction.

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