A Comparison of Iranian High School Teachers’ and Students’ Perceptions of Effective English Teachers

Abstract

As potential mismatches between teachers' and students' perceptions can have negative effects on students' satisfaction with the language class and even on their ultimate achievement, many researchers have attempted to identify and examine possible sources of such mismatches. In line with those investigations, the present study intended to compare the perceptions held by Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) public school teachers with those of their students. To this aim, a convenient sample of teachers (N = 75) and students (N = 202) from different cities of Iran was recruited to participate in the study. Using a 50-item Likert-type questionnaire and running between-groups independent-samples t tests and a two-way ANOVA, the researchers found that students' perceptions were completely different from those of their teachers. Contrary to expectations, while students preferred a communicative approach to learning English, their teachers tended to favor a more traditional approach. Also, although high-and low-achieving students' perceptions were not statistically different, they were significantly different from those of their teachers. Moreover, male teachers held different perceptions from their female students, and female teachers' perceptions were also different from those of their male students. Findings of the study along with their implications for the practice of English teaching are also discussed.

What Makes an Effective English Language Teacher? The Life Histories of 13 Mexican University Students

“…Secondly, on the whole, the students preferred teachers who made learning engaging, active and meaningful, and did not like teaching that was unappealing, passive, overly theoretical with too much use of the L1. These findings generally support those found in the literature (Alimorad & Tajgozari, 2016;Barnes & Lock, 2010;Kourieos & Evripidou, 2013;Oskouei et al, 2018;Richter & Lara Herrera, 2017). Indeed, although certain participants made reference to needing more 'conservative' approaches at times (as in Brown, 2009), the overwhelming tendency was towards more 'modern' approaches.…”

“…(Adapted from Brosh, 1996: 133) Since Brosh's study, the vast majority of work on students' perceptions of effective teaching have employed quantitative methodologies (Al-Mahrooqi, Denman, Al-Siyabi, & Al-Maamari, 2015; Alimorad & Tajgozari, 2016;Arikan, Taşer, & Saraç-Süser, 2008;Babai Shishavan & Sadeghi, 2009;Barnes & Lock, 2013;Brown, 2009;Çelik, Arikan, & Caner, 2013;Chen, Y-J, Lin, 2009;Han, 2017;Kourieos & Evripidou, 2013;Meksophawannagul, 2015;Park & Lee, 2006). The findings of these studies demonstrate several similarities, both to each other and to early studies like Brosh (1996).…”

“…It must be recognised that Brown's study took place in one specific university context, and there will inevitably be differences in different countries and cultures (Schultz, 2001). However, the vast majority of studies carried out since then have not corroborated Brown's work; on the contrary, they have found that students prefer more 'modern', student-centred approaches (Alimorad & Tajgozari, 2016;Barnes & Lock, 2013;Kourieos & Evripidou, 2013).…”

Qualities of a Good and Effective Teacher: Slovak EFL Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers’ Perspectives

“…Examining the qualities of a good and effective teacher, as perceived by both pre-service teachers and in-service teachers, can be, therefore, potentially beneficial to researchers, instructors, and students themselves. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that the possible mismatches between the perceptions of students and teachers may negatively influence students' satisfaction with the language class and could have a negative impact on their ultimate achievement (Alimorad & Tajgozari, 2016).…”

“…Teachers' effectiveness and quality of teaching has been of considerable interest to researchers and scholars for quite some time, largely concentrating on the specific traits and behaviors that are believed to constitute successful teaching (Çelik, Arikan, & Caner, 2013). Some scholars tried to analyze teacher effectiveness from the standpoint of students, others from the teachers' viewpoint, and some attempted to examine this issue by uncovering the differences between the perceptions of the two groups (Alimorad & Tajgozari, 2016). However, in the context of Slovak EFL teaching and learning, such research seems to be absent; thus, this study attempts to fill in the gap and shed more light on characteristics of good and effective EFL teachers in the Slovak context.…”