Predicting Teaching Enjoyment from Teachers’ Perceived School Climate, Self-Efficacy, and Psychological Wellbeing at Work: EFL Teachers

• Published in: Perceptual and motor skills Vol. 130; no. 5; pp. 2269 - 2299
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lawrence Jun, Fathi, Jalil, Mohammaddokht, Farnoosh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.10.2023; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Section III. Peak Performance; Self-efficacy; Well being; psychological wellbeing at work; foreign language teaching enjoyment; English as a foreign language (EFL); Teacher self-efficacy; school climate
• ISSN: 0031-5125; 1558-688X; 1558-688X
• DOI: 10.1177/00315125231182269

We tested an assessment model, by which teacher self-efficacy, perceived school climate, and psychological wellbeing at work, might predict teaching enjoyment. We invited a convenience sample of 355 teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) to respond to four online questionnaires. We used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the scales’ construct validity and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test associations among the variables. Our results showed that teacher self-efficacy, perceived school-climate, and psychological wellbeing were direct predictors of foreign language teaching-enjoyment (FLTE). Teacher self-efficacy affected FLTE indirectly, as induced by psychological well-being. School climate also indirectly influenced FLTE, as mediated by teacher self-efficacy and psychological wellbeing, with school climate a direct predictor of teacher self-efficacy and psychological wellbeing. Teacher self-efficacy directly affected psychological wellbeing. We discuss implications of these findings for teacher-education programs.