Understanding Expert EFL Teachers’ Motivation for Professional Development: How School Culture Matters

Teacher motivation is a critical component of professional development (PD), which plays a central role in sustaining English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ professional standards. However, little research has examined how school-level factors foster teachers’ motivation for PD. This study investigates how a high school’s cultural environment influenced expert EFL teachers’ motivation for PD in China. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), a qualitative case study was conducted in a Shanghai high school, using interviews, longitudinal observations, and document analysis. Findings indicate that the school’s research-oriented culture—characterized by a shared vision of teacher–student co-development, learning-centred leadership, promotion of innovation, institutional collaboration, and strong resource support—created conditions that satisfied teachers’ psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These cultural affordances facilitated the development of autonomous motivation for PD, though some tensions and pressures also emerged. The study concludes by discussing implications for cultivating positive school cultures that support teacher motivation and professional growth.