Psycho‐Emotional Factors and Language Teachers’ Creativity, Identity, and Professional Development: An Introduction

ABSTRACT This special issue centers on the role of language teachers’ psycho‐emotional factors in shaping their professional creativity, identity, and development. Comprising 18 original contributions, authors in the Issue examine how emotional and psychological dimensions interact with key aspects of teacher professionalism across diverse contexts and educational settings. The studies are organized into four thematic strands: (1) the interplay between psycho‐emotional factors and teacher professional identity, (2) the interplay between psycho‐emotional factors and teacher professional development and success, (3) the interplay between psycho‐emotional factors and teacher professional creativity, and (4) the interplay among teachers’ psychological traits. Collectively, the studies featured in this special issue highlight the complex, dynamic, and context‐dependent nature of language teachers’ psychological and emotional experiences, demonstrate methodological innovations in capturing these experiences, and offer actionable insights for future research.