Teacher and Professional Development General Plenary Session
Reflections and New Perspectives on Language Teacher Emotions
In this talk, I take stock of what we already know about language teacher emotions in terms of specific emotions felt as part of one’s practice, challenging moments experienced throughout one’s career, and positive psychology. I discuss how this knowledge can help us to better understand teachers and inform classroom practice. I then reflect on what we still potentially do not know about how language teacher emotions work and what possible new directions we can take within research and teacher education to address this important, yet neglected, side of teaching.
-
Dr Christina Gkonou is Associate Professor of TESOL and MA TESOL Programme Leader in the Department of Language and Linguistics at the University of Essex, UK. She convenes postgraduate modules on teacher education and development, and on psychological aspects surrounding the foreign language learning and teaching experience. She is co-editor of New Directions in Language Learning Psychology (with Sarah Mercer and Dietmar Tatzl), New Insights into Language Anxiety: Theory, Research and Educational Implications (with Jean-Marc Dewaele and Mark Daubney), and The Emotional Rollercoaster of Language Teaching (with Jean-Marc Dewaele and Jim King). She is also co-author of MYE: Managing Your Emotions Questionnaire (with Rebecca L. Oxford) and has published a number of research articles in international, peer-reviewed journals. Her new co-authored book (with Kate Brierton) for Cambridge University Press is on Cultivating teacher wellbeing and will be out in March 2022.