Technological interventions and language teacher immunity: A narrative inquiry into triggers and coping strategies

Abstract

Language teacher immunity, as a coping mechanism for managing professional tensions and stressors, has gained increasing relevance due to the growing integration of technology in the classroom, which presents teachers with new and complex challenges. This qualitative case study explores the impact of integrating technology tools on three in-service language teachers’ immunity. To do so, this study employed the narrative inquiry method by asking participants to complete narrative frames first to investigate their personal stories and experiences in detail. To corroborate the data, reflective journals were kept consistently over three months (i.e., one instructional semester), and follow-up narrative interviews were conducted. The data were analyzed to identify recurring themes regarding triggers and coping strategies. The findings highlight three major triggers, namely educational, contextual, and learner-related factors. Teachers faced issues such as lack of preparation time, inadequate training, outdated equipment, and limited internet access, all of which disrupted their teaching practices. To mitigate these challenges, they adopted various coping strategies, including personal preparation, peer collaboration, and utilizing personal technology. The study concludes that addressing these challenges not only restored equilibrium in the teaching process but also positively influenced the teachers’ professional identity, enhancing their resilience and adaptability in technology-enhanced learning environments.