Investigation of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers' Motivation in Educational Institutions in Belarus

Abstract

Motivation is one of the most popular topics on language teaching and learning; however, most of the studies have a focus on students’ motivation. Compared with studies on learner motivation, the number of teacher motivation studies is quite limited. The motivation of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers in developing countries such as Belarus has received little attention in the applied linguistics field despite the fact that some studies have demonstrated just how important the teachers’ influence is on their students’ motivation. It is experienced that students whose teachers are highly motivated are more engaged in the learning process. This study is an attempt to explore factors which affect EFL teachers’ motivation in Belarusian educational institutions. Accordingly, the study was guided by three research questions which aimed to: 1) identify factors affecting EFL teachers’ motivation; 2) investigate dependence of teaching experience on EFL teachers’ motivation; 3) find measures to promote EFL teachers’ motivation. The research involved seventy EFL teachers working in educational institutions in Belarus. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. According to the results, the researcher presents some suggestions to arouse EFL teachers’ motivation and improve the efficiency of English teaching in Belarusian educational institutions. It is hoped that this study stimulates further research on EFL teachers’ motivation.