Stories from the Frontlines: In-Service Teachers’ Demotivating Factors and Policy Recommendations

The purpose of this current study was to explore the demotivating factors among Indonesian senior high school English teachers in teaching English as a foreign language at two senior high schools in Jambi City, Indonesia through demographic background surveys and semi-structured in-depth interviews. The research design was qualitative in the case approach. The interviews data were analyzed through using the constant comparative method developed by Glaser and Strauss (1967), six salient and interweaved themes related to the demotivating factors that emerged in this research were s tudents ’ limited basic knowledge in English language, students’ l ack of motivation , school environment, limited supporting facilities, working conditions, and teachers’ workload. Policy recommendations and implications of findings and future research are also discussed.