The effect of school type on EFL teachers’ burnout: The case in Turkey

Abstract

Teachers are the leaders of education; their energy contributes to the learning and teaching process. In foreign language classrooms, one of the essentials of effective teaching is having highly motivated teachers. Thus, their job satisfaction and energy have a great impact on language teaching process. However, affecting teachers emotionally, physically, and psychologically, burnout may decrease the performance of the teachers and may have a negative influence on their approach towards the students or workplace during the process. The aim of this study was to examine the burnout levels of English as a Foreign Language teachers in Turkish context and to investigate any effect of school type on burnout levels when age and experience were controlled. The participants included 74 teachers of EFL teaching in public schools. The participants were asked to fill a scale, which included demographics and burnout levels on three aspects as Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and reduced Personal Accomplishment in Maslach Burnout Inventory (1981). Primarily, the findings indicated that EFL teachers commonly showed high levels of burnout. Moreover, it was revealed that as a school type, primary school had a significant effect on in three sub-dimensions of teachers’ burnout levels. In consideration of the literature and findings, results are discussed and implications are provided in terms of burnout and young learners.

Keywords

• professional burnout; EFL teachers; teaching English; school type; primary school

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