English Language Teacher Motivation in Bilingual School Contexts: Focus on Influencing Factors and Rewards

Abstract

Research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher motivation in bilingual schools has been quite scarce. To fill this gap, this study investigated the main sources of motivation for EFL teachers and the rewards in a bilingual school context. The intrinsic/extrinsic motivation distinction served as the main theoretical framework of the study. Furthermore, the role of self and contextual factors that contribute to teachers’ persistence in the profession was emphasized. The participants, selected through the convenience sampling method, were thirty EFL teachers at a bilingual school in Iran. The study applied a mixed-method research design in which quantitative data were collected through two questionnaires on teacher motivation and the corresponding rewards and then triangulated with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with some of the participants. Employing both descriptive and inferential data analysis methods, the results demonstrated the importance of a wide range of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in motivating EFL teachers. More value was placed on intrinsic factors, specifically ‘having an enjoyable and stimulating job’ rather than the extrinsic factors. However, extrinsic factors related to external recognition of the teachers’ efforts by their supervisors and students, and factors related to organization and work benefits, such as job security, played an important role in satisfying the teachers. Moreover, the teachers’ perception of the rewards received lower satisfactory ratings, implying that the rewards were somehow incongruent with what motivated teachers. Overall, the findings suggest that certain characteristics of bilingual schools in Iran, such as the autonomy to use diverse materials, can contribute to a higher level of job satisfaction among EFL teachers.