Rural English teachers’ emotion labor toward communicative language teaching (CLT) as a social imaginary in China

Purpose As communicative language teaching (CLT) gains global prominence in English language education, this study aims to examine the emotional experiences of rural English teachers in mainland China as they negotiate the demands of CLT. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the concept of emotion labor, the paper explores how these teachers navigate the tensions between CLT as an idealized pedagogical approach and the realities of their marginalized educational contexts. Using a critical narrative ethnographic approach, the study analyzes data from two rural teachers, Ms Ni and Ms Zhe, including emotion diaries, conversations, observations and documents. Data were analyzed through small stories and Gee’s discourse analytic framework to uncover the discursive and emotional dimensions of their CLT practices. Findings This research reveals how rural teachers’ emotion labor arises at the intersection of CLT as a social imaginary and negative image surrounding rural schools, their communities and students. Teachers’ adoption of or resistance to, CLT reflects both their professional aspirations and the material-discursive constraints of their working environments. Originality/value Beyond addressing resource gaps, this study highlights the need to focus on teachers’ emotions to help them critically reflect on their emotion labor tied to CLT.