Exploring the Factors Influencing Teachers' Creativity in English Language Teaching: A Case Study at an International School in Ho Chi Minh City

This study investigates the factors influencing teachers’ creativity in English Language Teaching (ELT) at an international school in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. While existing research highlights the roles of professional development (PD), institutional culture, technology, and demographics, little is known about how these factors operate in Vietnamese international schools, which differ from public institutions in resources, autonomy, and cultural context. Using a mixed-methods case study design, the research combined survey data from 50 English teachers with semi-structured interviews from five participants. Quantitative results revealed that PD (M = 3.42, SD = 0.54, 80% moderately–very effective) and technology integration (M = 3.51, SD = 0.58, 86% weekly use) were the strongest drivers of creativity, followed by institutional culture (M = 3.48, SD = 0.62) and demographics (M = 3.53, SD = 0.53). Regression analysis confirmed that these four factors collectively explained 71% of the variance in creative practices (R² = 0.71, p < .001). Qualitative findings supported these results, with teachers reporting PD-inspired storytelling projects, Padlet-based collaboration, and gamified vocabulary activities, while also identifying barriers such as exam pressures, time constraints, and uneven technology access. The study advances a hybrid model of ELT creativity in Vietnamese international contexts and offers practical implications for tailoring PD, enhancing curricular flexibility, and bridging generational divides in technology adoption to foster sustainable innovation in language education.