Toward an understanding of language teacher well-being: a conceptual analysis of positive intelligence through the lens of perma

Abstract

The aim of this analytical research study was to provide insights into a new concept of Positive Intelligence (PI) and investigate it through the lens of a well-known theory of Positive Psychology, the PERMA model, in order to discover possible implications for language teacher well-being. To collect the data, four PI resources were employed including textbook, the PI website, two video lectures, and a questionnaire. This is a Descriptive Deductive-dominant Qualitative study used Content Analysis as the method to identify specific characteristics of written and visual materials (Ary, Jacobs, Sorensen, & Razavieh, 2010). Moreover, the researcher used personal auto-ethnographic data (Mendez, 2013) to provide a comprehensible context in which to discuss language teachers’ well-being from the PI perspective. The results of the research demonstrated that each element of the PERMA model had some connections to the key PI elements of Saboteurs and Sage. Particular characteristics of Saboteurs can damage peace of mind and hinder well-being. On the other hand, some powers of the mind identified by the PI concept can cause well-being to flourish. The study also revealed that PI could be applied to the language teaching context by recognizing the affective characteristics inherent in this instructional context and how teacher well-being and the overall affective classroom climate may be impacted by emotional factors related to Saboteurs and Sage.