The role of hope in language teachers' changing stress, coping, and well-being

ABSTRACT

Language teaching has been described as a "profession in crisis";a situation likely worsened by the effects of an emergency conversion to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study examines two waves of data (from April and November 2020) on stress, coping, and well-being during those eight months. Results show an increase in teachers' stress associated with health and travel but decreases in stress due to online teaching and the shortage of goods in retail stores. There was a significant reduction in coping behavior as teachers settled into the new normal. Well-being, as measured by PERMA, declined significantly, and there was a significant increase in sadness, loneliness, and anger. However, teachers reported an increasing sense of growth during trauma. Time 2 data included a measure of hope, defined by feelings of agency and available pathways to goal achievement. Rarely has hope been studied among teachers in general or language teachers in particular. Results show significant, positive correlations between hope and various measures of successful coping and teacher well-being, including a sense of growth over time. The study suggests the time frame of the study was especially difficult for teachers, but that hope is associated with more positive outcomes. • During the first 8 months (March and November respectively) of the Covid-19 pandemic teacher stress changed little. • Coping efforts declined and negative emotions increased as online teaching became the new normal. • Well-being declined over time, but there was some evidence of an increasing sense of growth during the traumatic events. • Teachers with higher levels of hope showed greater well-being, suggesting protective effects of agency and pathways thinking. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of System is the property of Pergamon Press - An Imprint of Elsevier Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)