SUN SHIN (UNIVERSITY OF GRAZ)

EXPLORING TEACHER WELLBEING AND IDENTITY AMONG INTERNATIONAL EFL TEACHERS : TEACHER EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The wellbeing of teachers is essential for fostering a positive learning environment and sustaining effective teaching (Mercer & Gregersen, 2020). Although research into language teacher wellbeing has expanded, the experiences of international language teachers in foreign contexts, particularly their identity struggles, remain underexplored. This study delves into the specific challenges faced by international EFL teachers in South Korea, where issues such as professional marginalization, social legitimacy, and identity formation hinder their integration into the local educational community (Yim & Hwang, 2018; Yim & Ahn, 2018). Using qualitative methods, the study examines two international EFL teachers' experiences and how these impact their wellbeing and teacher identity. Findings indicate that teachers with a stronger sense of teacher identity experience heightened emotional challenges, as they are more deeply invested in their roles and, consequently, more vulnerable to the pressures of the environment. This research sheds new light on the intricate relationship between teacher identity and wellbeing, specifically within the international teaching context. It reveals how a strong professional identity can sometimes lead to increased vulnerability. The findings emphasize the need for supportive institutional frameworks to help international teachers navigate these challenges and better integrate into local teaching contexts.

Sun Shin is a certified CELTA and TESOL teacher who has taught English as a foreign language in Korea and Thailand. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Graz in Austria and earned her M.A. in TEFL from the International Graduate School of English in Seoul, Korea.