Critical Thinking Dispositions of Iranian EFL Teachers and Their Relationship with Teacher Burnout (Research Paper)

Teachers always face different challenges in their classrooms. One of the skills that might help them overcome these challenges is critical thinking. Since burnout has been mentioned as one of the most important challenges in reducing the efficiency of teachers, the purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of critical thinking skill among 303 Iranian EFL teachers from different universities and its relationship with their burnout. To conduct the study, the researchers selected 303 EFL teachers randomly and administered Paul and Elder Critical Thinking Questionnaire (2012) and Maslach and Jackson Burnout Questionnaire (1986) among them. Employing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the researchers analyzed the obtained data. The results indicated that Iranian EFL teachers tend to be intellectually integrated. Besides, while gender had no effect on their inclinations, teaching experiences played an important role in creating critical thinking. The regression results also showed that the tendency to struggle with negative attitudes had the greatest impact on teachers’ burnout, and critical thinking skill has the ability to predict teachers’ burnout in general. Principals and stakeholders can provide regular opportunities for language teachers to reflect on their teaching experiences by collaborating with their co-workers, especially cooperation between experienced and inexperienced teachers.