Exploring Chinese EFL Teachers’ Perceptions About the Contribution of Positive Classroom Climate to Their Professional Vitality and Creativity: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT The role of classroom climate and atmosphere in second/foreign language (L2) teaching has been highlighted in recent studies. However, the contribution of positive classroom climate (PCC) to teacher emotions and practices has been overlooked. To fill this gap, the present qualitative study examined the perceptions of 21 Chinese EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers about the role of PCC in their professional vitality and creativity in L2 teaching. The results of interview data analysis demonstrated that PCC could contribute to both constructs of professional vitality and creativity in different ways. It led to professional vitality by “generating positive emotions/outcomes,” “fostering professional growth,” “improving teaching quality/effectiveness,” “fostering teacher–student rapport,” and “reducing negative emotions.” Furthermore, teacher creativity was fostered by “inspiring confidence to be innovative,” “fostering independent thinking ability,” “creating a safe space for seeking novelty,” “promoting flexibility and adaptability,” and “encouraging knowledge update.” The findings are explained, and implications are listed for researching and considering teacher emotionality in positive L2 education settings.