MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING KHMER VIETNAMESE EFL TEACHERS’ CAREER CHOICE

Drawing on Self-Determination theory, the current study examined how intrinsic, altruistic and extrinsic factors affected their career choice within the sociocultural context of the Khmer ethnic community. Extrinsic motivations such as job stability and social respect were found to be secondary motivational factors. These findings provide an insightful understanding of what motivated teachers in ethnically diverse contexts to choose teaching career and highlight the importance of integrating cultural and social considerations into teacher recruitment and retention strategies.