Sacrifice in L2 teaching: teachers’ perspectives from China, Iran, and Turkey
Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1080/17501229.2026.2665209
- Dergi Adı: Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, EBSCO Education Source, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), MLA - Modern Language Association Database, MLA International Bibliography, Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: emotional labor, L2 teaching, professional identity, qualitative research, Sacrifice, teacher well-being
- İstanbul Medipol Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Purpose: This study investigates how second/foreign language (L2) teachers in China, Iran, and Turkey understand and experience the concept of sacrifice in their professional lives. Despite frequent references to sacrifice in relation to teacher well-being and emotional labor, it remains underexplored in L2 teaching research. Methodology: A qualitative design was employed, utilizing an open-ended questionnaire completed by 63 L2 teachers (China: n = 20; Iran: n = 15; Turkey: n = 28) and follow-up semi-structured interviews with 12 teachers (China: n = 4; Iran: n = 4; Turkey: n = 4). The data were subjected to inductive thematic analysis to uncover recurring themes, emotional consequences, and context-specific factors influencing teachers’ experiences of sacrifice, with interview evidence used to corroborate and elaborate the questionnaire-derived themes, providing complementary methodological triangulation. Findings: Participants commonly described sacrifice as relinquishing personal time, emotional energy, or well-being to meet professional and moral responsibilities. While some viewed these sacrifices as fulfilling and aligned with personal values, others experienced them as burdensome or coerced. Cross-cultural differences emerged: Chinese teachers emphasized institutional workload pressures; Iranian teachers highlighted cultural expectations and emotional endurance; and Turkish teachers focused on emotional exhaustion and limited support. Sacrifice was revealed to be both a moral construct and a structural consequence of educational systems. Originality/Value: This study is the first to conceptualize sacrifice as a distinct phenomenon in L2 teaching, differentiating it from related constructs such as emotional labor and burnout. It offers a multifaceted, cross-cultural understanding of how L2 teachers contend with professional demands, with implications for teacher well-being, identity, and institutional support.