The Relationship between Teacher Agency and Burnout among Iranian EFL Teachers: The Moderating Effect of School Culture

This study examined the relationship between teacher agency and burnout, considering the moderating role of school culture. A sample of 519 Iranian EFL teachers in the public sector was selected through multi-stage cluster sampling. The proposed theoretical model was carried out using the SPSS PROCESS Macro, Model One. The findings revealed that higher levels of teacher agency and school culture were associated with lower levels of burnout. Furthermore, school culture played a significant moderating role in the relationship between teacher agency and burnout. To be specific, in schools with a positive culture, the negative impact of burnout was significantly reduced by high levels of teacher agency. On the other hand, in schools with a negative culture, the beneficial effect of teacher agency on reducing burnout was much weaker. The results also showed a significant difference between male and female EFL teachers in terms of teacher agency and burnout. The study highlights the importance of promoting teacher agency as a potential strategy to reduce burnout among educators. The moderating effect of school culture on the relationship between teacher agency and burnout underscores the significance of fostering a positive and supportive school climate in Iran’s public education.