Date of Award
May 2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Teaching & Learning
First Advisor
Hyonsuk Cho
Abstract
This study examines the relationships among teacher-related factors, including teacher controlling teaching, teacher-student relationship, teacher emotional support, teacher burnout, teacher feedback literacy and student boredom in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. Guided by Control-Value Theory, it explores how teacher-related factors influence student boredom through the mediating roles of teacher–student relationship and teacher burnout, as well as the moderating effects of gender, academic discipline, and students’ language proficiency. Data were collected from university EFL students in China and analyzed using quantitively structural equation modeling.The findings reveal that teacher–student relationship plays a central mediating role, fully mediating the effects of teacher-related factors on teacher boredom and operating in tandem with teacher burnout as a significant chain mediator. Emotional support enhances relational quality and reduces boredom, whereas controlling teaching and unbalanced feedback practices undermine relationships, increase burnout, and elevate boredom. These results highlight a relational–emotional pathway through which instructional practices shape students’ emotional experiences.
In addition, the effects of teacher-related factors on student boredom are largely consistent across gender and disciplinary contexts but vary significantly by students’ language proficiency. Emotional support is particularly effective in reducing boredom among low-proficiency learners, while its impact diminishes or becomes counterproductive for advanced learners, suggesting the need for differentiated emotional support strategies.
Overall, this study underscores the importance of fostering supportive teacher–student relationships, sustaining teachers’ emotional well-being, and adopting adaptive pedagogical approaches. It contributes to the literature by offering a nuanced, process-oriented understanding of how teacher practices influence boredom in EFL classrooms and provides practical implications for enhancing engagement and instructional effectiveness.
Recommended Citation
Liu, Fang, "Teacher-Related Foreign Language Student Boredom And Pedagogical Strategies In College English Teaching" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 13957.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/13957