Understanding Novice ELT (English Language Teaching) Female Teachers' Conflict Experience: Their Perceived Conflicts and Coping Strategies in Teaching and Research Groups

• In Event: Understanding the Role of Teachers' Experience and Identity and Motivations

Abstract

The high teacher attrition rate, especially for novice female teachers, has received increasing attention. This study explores how conflict coping experience influence novice ELT female teachers’ professional development and attrition. Four Chinese novice ELT female teachers were selected, and semi-structured individual interviews and a focus group were used to identify their conflict response experience in the teaching and research group. The qualitative data reflects that cognitive conflicts and relationship conflicts are the most common conflict types encountered and avoidant, competitive, and compromising styles are most frequently chosen. Influencing factors and impacts of conflict coping are also discussed. This study offers insights into using the conflict coping of novice female teachers to enhance their professional development and improve turnover rate.

Author

• Yansi Hou, East China Normal University