A phenomenological inquiry into supporting and hindering Factors of Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment (FLTE) among Iranian EFL teachers

Foreign Language Teaching Enjoyment (FLTE) has recently garnered significant scholarly interest within the field of L2 education. However, while its importance is established, the specific contextual factors that facilitate or constrain FLTE, particularly within under-researched settings like Iran, remain underexplored. Consequently, guided by the tenets of positive psychology, this study seeks to address both the supporting and hindering factors influencing teaching enjoyment in the Iranian EFL context The data were collected by using a phenomenological design, and drawing on purposive and snowball sampling to recruit 20 Iranian EFL teachers. Data collection incorporated methodological triangulation via semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, and narrative frames to deeply explore the teachers’ perceptions and lived experiences. The key supporting factors revealed through thematic analysis were related to teacher self-efficacy and professional fulfillment, teacher professional growth and resilience, interpersonal dynamics and collaborative practices, institutional and environmental factors, and student engagement and learning. On the contrary, significant hindering factors were linked to professional challenges and work environment. Teachers enunciated that their teaching enjoyment is significantly enhanced by their sense of self-development, collaboration with colleagues, sufficient technological facilities, and learners’ high levels of motivation. However, learners’ demotivation and high workload alongside negative work environment and low salary were perceived to diminish their teaching enjoyment. The findings contribute to the understanding of teacher well-being within the framework of positive psychology, indicating that promoting support-related factors and addressing hindering-related issues can ultimately enhance teaching experiences and student outcomes.