PanSIG 2025

“I felt like my self-efficacy was just blasted to bits”: Exploring non-Japanese EFL teacher emotional reactions to student silence at a Japanese university

17 May 2025, 13:05

25m

BLDG 8/1F-112 (Kanda University of International Studies (神田外語大学))

Research-oriented Oral Face-to-face presentation Mind, Brain, and Education B8-112 SAT: ICLE & Critical Thinking; SUN: CT, Listening & ER

Speaker

Jonathan Shachter (Kyushu Sangyo University)

Description

Although a substantial body of research has explored English language learners' perspectives on silence and pedagogy, the impact of student silence on EFL teachers remains an underexplored area of study. Using Spilt et al.'s (2011) student-behavior mental representation model as a framework to examine EFL teachers' emotional reactions to student silence, this study employed an ethnographic, event-based sampling approach in a case study conducted over a 101-day university term. Following this methodology, a non-Japanese EFL teacher reported real-time or near-real-time emotional reactions to instances of student silence throughout the term. Additionally, at the term’s conclusion, the teacher participated in a semi-structured recall interview.

This presentation shares the findings of the case study, highlighting how student silence was particularly hurtful when accompanied by poor attitudes and how higher-level students surprisingly displayed similarly resistant behaviors as lower-level students. Another interesting finding was that the teacher became less inclined to report negative emotional reactions to silence as his stresses related to job insecurity increased. Regrettably, the teacher in this case study has since left the profession. Consequently, this presentation contributes to the growing body of literature aimed at identifying the factors that contribute to burnout and attrition among EFL teachers globally.

KEYWORDS

EFL teacher, wellbeing, silence, Japan

ABSTRACT

Although a substantial body of research has explored English language learners' perspectives on silence and pedagogy, the impact of student silence on EFL teachers remains an underexplored area of study. Using Spilt et al.'s (2011) student-behavior mental representation model as a framework to examine EFL teachers' emotional reactions to student silence, this study employed an ethnographic, event-based sampling approach in a case study conducted over a 101-day university term. Following this methodology, a non-Japanese EFL teacher reported real-time or near-real-time emotional reactions to instances of student silence throughout the term. Additionally, at the term’s conclusion, the teacher participated in a semi-structured recall interview.

This presentation shares the findings of the case study, highlighting how student silence was particularly hurtful when accompanied by poor attitudes and how higher-level students surprisingly displayed similarly resistant behaviors as lower-level students. Another interesting finding was that the teacher became less inclined to report negative emotional reactions to silence as his stresses related to job insecurity increased. Regrettably, the teacher in this case study has since left the profession. Consequently, this presentation contributes to the growing body of literature aimed at identifying the factors that contribute to burnout and attrition among EFL teachers globally.