Ali Derakhshan

Background. Due to its prominence in the professional success of teachers, work engagement has gained increasing attention in educational research, particularly in language studies. While previous studies have investigated the contribution of various factors to language teachers’ work engagement, the role of emotional experiences, notably positive emotions, remains underexplored.

Objective. To bridge this gap, the current research sought to examine the interplay between positive emotions and work engagement from the standpoints of Iranian L2 teachers. It was also aimed at pinpointing the particular positive emotions that most significantly contribute to the work engagement of L2 teachers.  

Design. Phenomenology as a qualitative research approach was employed to scrutinise the perceptions and lived experiences of participants. With the aid of maximum variation sampling, 37 L2 teachers were selected from diverse educational institutions in Iran. To delve into the participants’ perspectives and experiences, an open-ended questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were employed. Participants’ answers to the questionnaire and the follow-up interview were analysed through inductive thematic analysis.

Results. The thematic analysis revealed that Iranian L2 teachers perceived a close and dynamic association between positive emotions and work engagement. The analysis further indicated that, according to Iranian L2 teachers, positive emotions such as enjoyment, contentment, passion, pride, and hope can significantly contribute to their work engagement.

Conclusion. The study’s findings highlight the importance of positive emotions in promoting the work engagement of L2 teachers and suggest that educational administrators should prioritise creating a supportive working environment that cultivates positive emotional experiences.