Retention and Attrition in Early-Career Foreign Language Teachers in Austria and the United Kingdom

Sulis G.

Primo

;Babic S.;Mairitsch A.;Mercer S.;Jin J.;King J.

2022-01-01

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Abstract

The issue of early-career teacher attrition is a pressing concern across a variety of educational settings. Research in predominantly anglophone contexts has shown that rates of foreign language teachers leaving the profession are particularly high. Noting the important role that well-being plays in fostering teacher retention, this study examines factors affecting the well-being of early-career foreign language teachers in the United Kingdom and Austria, and the subsequent possible consequences for their decision to leave or remain in the profession, drawing a comparison across the 2 settings. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 early-career foreign language teachers at secondary schools in Austria (n = 6) and the United Kingdom (n = 8). Inductive data analysis revealed an interplay among intrapersonal, societal, and contextual factors in relation to well-being, which might contribute to shaping participants’ decision to remain or leave the profession across the 2 settings. These factors include perfectionism, self-efficacy, work–life spillover, self-regulation, relationships within the school, and foreign language teacher status. Our findings suggest the need for systematic approaches toward improving teacher well-being, not only for surviving in the profession but also for flourishing and thriving in the long term.