İngilizce Öğretmenlerinin İşyerindeki Refahı: Türkiye’de Bir Vaka Çalışması

Abstract

Bu nitel çalışma, bir refah teorisi olan Seligman'ın (2011) PERMA modelinden yola çıkılarak Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı okullarında görev yapan İngilizce öğretmenlerinin iyi olma hali ile öğretmenlerin kurumsal ortamlarındaki refahlarını etkileyen faktörleri incelenmiştir. PERMA kısaltması, modelin her biri bağımsız olarak işlev gören bileşenleri olan olumlu/olumsuz duygu, bağlanma, olumlu ilişkiler, anlam ve başarıyı temsil etmektedir. Araştırmada öğretmenlerin işlerinin ve iş yerlerinin genel refahını nasıl etkilediğine dair algıları da araştırılmıştır. Çalışma, Türkiye'nin Doğu Anadolu bölgesinde yer alan Elazığ ilinde yürütülmüştür ve çalışmaya devlet okullarında ve özel okullarda çalışan 53 İngilizce öğretmeni katılmıştır. Bu araştırmanın verilerini toplamak için yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler ve açık uçlu anket soruları kullanılmıştır. Bu şehirde, maksimum sayıda İngilizce öğretmenine ulaşmak için kartopu örneklemesi kullanılmıştır. Veriler hem tümevarımsal hem de tümdengelimsel tematik analizler kullanılarak analiz edilmiştir. PERMA bulguları, öğretmenlerin yüksek bir iyi olma hali içinde olduklarını göstermektedir. Olumlu duygulara, iyi ilişkilere, güçlü anlamlara sahip olmaları ve mesleki başarılarından memnuniyet duymaları ile öne çıkmaktadırlar. Öğrenci güdüleme ve başarısı, onay ve destek ile sosyal ilişkiler, öğretmenlerin iyi olma halini etkileyen üç ana tema olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Sonuçlar ayrıca, İngilizce öğretmenlerinin mesleklerinin ve iş yerlerinin genel refahı üzerinde olumlu ya da olumsuz önemli bir etkisi olduğuna inandıklarını göstermektedir.

Keywords

• Pozitif psikoloji
• öğretmen refahı
• olumlu ve olumsuz duygular
• PERMA

English Language Teachers’ Wellbeing in the Workplace: A Case Study in Türkiye

Abstract

This qualitative study drew on Seligman's PERMA, Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments, model (2011) to examine the wellbeing of English language teachers at work in the schools managed by the Ministry of National Education. It also examined factors affecting teachers' wellbeing in their institutional environments. The perceptions of teachers about how their jobs and workplaces affect their general wellbeing were also explored. The study was conducted in Elazığ, a city in Türkiye's Eastern Anatolia region. 53 EFL teachers working in public or private schools participated in this study. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended survey questions were used to gather the data. To reach as many English language teachers as feasible in this city, snowball sampling was used. The data were analysed using both inductive and deductive Thematic Analyses. Firstly, data were analysed deductively, and the PERMA model was used as a theme to answer the first research question. For the second and third research questions, data were analysed inductively to find emerging themes. The PERMA findings show that teachers are in a high state of wellbeing. They stand out for having positive emotions, good relationships, powerful meanings, and pleasure with their professional accomplishments. Student motivation and success, approval and support, and social relationships were discovered to be the three main themes that have an impact on teachers' wellbeing. The results also show that English language teachers believe their profession and workplace have a substantial impact on their general wellbeing, either positively or adversely.

Keywords

• Positive psychology
• teacher wellbeing
• positive and negative emotions
• PERMA

References

1. Aelterman, A., Engels, N., Van Petegem, K. & Verhaeghe, J.P. (2007). The wellbeing of teachers in Flanders: The importance of a supportive school culture. Educational Studies, 33, 285-297. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055690701423085
2. Arda, Ç. (2023). Part-time English language instructors' well-being: A case study in Türkiye (Publication No. 826303) [Master’s Thesis, Middle East Technical University].
3. Ateş, S. C. (2024). The Interplay Between Workplace and English Language Teachers' Well-being: A Case Study [Unpublished Master's dissertation]. Middle East Technical University.
4. Babic, S., Mercer, S., Mairitsch, A., Gruber, J., & Hempkin, K. (2022). Language Teacher Wellbeing in the Workplace. Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition, 8(1), 11-34. https://doi.org/10.31261/TAPSLA.11514
5. Berg B. L. (2001). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (4th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.
6. Berg, B. L., & Lune, H. (2012). Qualitative research methods for the social sciences (8th ed.). Pearson.
7. Borg, S. (2006). The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers. Language Teaching Research, 10(1), 3-31. https://doi.org/10.1191/1362168806lr182oa
8. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

9. Bryman, A. (2012). Social Research Methods (4th ed.) Oxford University Press.
10. Budzińska, K. (2018). Positive institutions: A case study. Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition, 2(4), 33-54. https://journals.us.edu.pl/index.php/TAPSLA/article/view/6295
11. Butler, J., & Kern, M. L. (2016). The PERMA-Profiler: A brief multidimensional measure of flourishing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(3), 1-48. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v6i3.526
12. Çarıkcı, K., Meral, H., Berkil, S., Çalışır, A., Önala, L., & Arslan, Ö. (2024). Nitel Araştırmalarda Tematik Analiz. Socrates Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 10(37), 127-140. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10509707
13. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Sage.
14. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage.
15. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper and Row.
16. Dawson, C. (2002). Practical research methods: A user-friendly guide to mastering research. How to Books Ltd.
17. Day, C., & Gu, Q. (2010). The new lives of teachers (1st ed.). Routledge.
18. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic motivation and selfdeternination in human behavior. Plenum.
19. Derakhshan, A. (2022). Revisiting research on positive psychology in second and foreign language education: Trends and directions. Language Related Research, 13(5), 1-43.
20. Dewaele, J.-M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2016). The predictive power of multicultural personality traits, learner and teacher variables on foreign language enjoyment and anxiety in classrooms [Paper presentation]. The International Association for Language and Social Psychology, Bangkok, Thailand.
21. Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford University Press.
22. Dreer, B. (2021): Teachers’ well-being and job satisfaction: the important role of positive Emotions in the workplace, Educational Studies, 50(1), 61-77. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2021.1940872
23. Fereday, J., & Muir-Cochrane, E. (2006). Demonstrating rigor using thematic analysis: A hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. International journal of qualitative methods, 5(1), 80-92. https://doi.org/10.1177/160940690600500107
24. Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218
25. Frenzel, A. C., Goetz, T., Lüdtke, O., Pekrun, R., & Sutton, R. E. (2009). Emotional transmission in the classroom: exploring the relationship between teacher and student enjoyment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3), 705–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014695
26. Gregersen, T., MacIntyre, P. & Macmillan, N. (2020). Dealing with the Emotions of Teaching Abroad: Searching for Silver Linings in a Difficult Context. In C. Gkonou, J. Dewaele & J. King (Ed.), The Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching (pp. 228-246). Bristol, Blue Ridge Summit: Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781788928342-017
27. Hessel, G., Talbot, K. R., Gruber, M. T., & Mercer, S. (2020). The Well-Being and Job Satisfaction of Secondary CLIL and Tertiary EMI Teachers in Austria. Journal for the Psychology of Language Learning, 2(2), 73-91. https://www.jpll.org/index.php/journal/article/view/33
28. İş, E., & Atış, M. (2024). Öğretmenlerin Karşılaştığı Güncel Sorunlar ve Bu Sorunların Mesleki Performansları Üzerindeki Etkileri: Bir Nitel Araştırma. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 72, 489-521. https://doi.org/10.21764/maeuefd.1470413
29. Kasap, S. (2021). Mental Well-Being and Foreign Language Anxiety. Multicultural Education, 7(4), 226-2230. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4716343
30. Knight, A., & McNaught, A. (Eds.) (2011) Understanding wellbeing : an introduction for students and practitioners of health and social care. Lantern.
31. Krashen, S. (1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications. Longman.
32. Kun, A., & Gadanecz, P. (2022). Workplace happiness, well-being and their relationship with psychological capital: A study of Hungarian teachers. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues, 41(1), 185–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-019-00550-0
33. La Placa, V., McNaught, A., & Knight, A. (2013). Discourse on wellbeing in research and practice. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(1), 116–125. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v3i1.7
34. MacIntyre, P.D. (2016). So Far So Good: An Overview of Positive Psychology and Its Contributions to SLA. In D. Gabryś-Barker & D. Gałajda (Eds.), Positive Psychology Perspectives on Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (pp. 3-20). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32954-3_1
35. MacIntyre, P.D. (2021). Exploring Applications of Positive Psychology in SLA. In K. Budzińska & O. Majchrzak (Eds.), Positive Psychology in Second and Foreign Language Education (pp. 3-17). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64444-4_1
36. MacIntyre, P., & Gregersen, T. (2012). Emotions that facilitate language learning: The positive- broadening power of the imagination. Studies in Second Language Learning & Teaching, 2(2), 193–213. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2012.2.2.4
37. MacIntyre, P. D., Gregersen, T., & Mercer, S. (2019a). Setting an agenda for positive psychology in SLA: Theory, practice, and research. Modern Language Journal, 103(1), 262–274. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12544
38. MacIntyre, P. D., Ross, J., Talbot, K., Gregersen, T.,Mercer, S., & Banga, C. A. (2019b). Stressors, personality and wellbeing among language teachers. System, 82, 26–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.02.013
39. Mercer, S. (2015). Learner agency and engagement: Believing you can, wanting to and knowing how to. Humanising Language Teaching, 17(4), 1–19. http://old.hltmag.co.uk/aug15/mart01.htm
40. Mercer, S. (2023). The wellbeing of language teachers in the private sector: An ecological perspective. Language Teaching Research, 27(5), 1054-1077. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820973510
41. Mercer, S., & Gregersen, T. (2020). Teacher wellbeing. Oxford University Press.
42. Mercer, S., & MacIntyre, P. D., (2014). Introducing positive psychology to SLA. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 4(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2014.4.2.2
43. Mercer, S., Oberdorfer, P., & Saleem, M. (2016). Helping language teachers to thrive: Using positive psychology to promote teachers’ professional well-being. In D. Gabryś-Barker & D. Gałajda (Eds.), Positive psychology perspectives on foreign language learning and teaching, 213-229. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32954-3_12
44. Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks.
45. O’Brien, T., & Guiney, D. (2021). Wellbeing: how we make sense of it and what this means for teachers. Support for learning, 36(3), 342-355. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9604.12366
46. Peterson, C. (2006). A primer in positive psychology. Oxford University Press.
47. Prior, M. T. (2019). Elephants in the room: An “affective turn,” or just feeling our way? The Modern Language Journal, 103(2), 516–527. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12573
48. Seligman, M. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Vintage.
49. Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.
50. Seligman, M. (2018). PERMA and the building blocks of well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(4), 333–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2018.1437466
51. Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5
52. *Spilt, J. L., Koomen, H. M., & Thijs, J. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher–student relationships. Educational psychology review, 23, 457-477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y
53. Şahin, F., Yenel, K., & Kılıç, S. (2019). Investigation of teachers’ views on a happy work environment by PERMA model. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğitim Yönetimi, 25(4), 773-804. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1305634
54. Şavran, E. (2023). Enhancing Turkish EFL teachers' professional well-Being: The effectiveness of a positive psychology-based intervention program (Publication No. 838506) [Doctoral dissertation, Çukurova University].
55. Ünsal, F. (2021). Kişilik Özellikleri ve Yabancı Dil Öğrenimi. Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 18(2), 332-357.
56. Ünsal, F., & Hastunç, Y. (2021). Features in Foreign Language Learning Processes; Motivation And Personality. Diyalektolog-Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, (28). https://diyalektolog.com/?mod=tammetin&makaleadi=&key=52415
57. *Zhou, S., Slemp, G.R. & Vella-Brodrick, D.A. (2024). Factors Associated with Teacher Wellbeing: A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 36(2), 63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09886-x