Showing 118 results for Teacher
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Language teacher professional identity refers to each individual’s understanding of their identity, helping them prepare for their professional lives and is affected by different factors. This study thus explored the reasons why language teachers chose this profession, their perceptions of the notion of language teacher professional identity (LTPI), the influential factors in the formation or change of professional identity, and the contribution of communities of practice. A 37-item questionnaire along with five open-ended questions was developed and administered to 109 English language teachers studying Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). The outcome of the study revealed that language teachers perceived their professional identity mostly related to students, self-knowledge and awareness, and practice into knowledge. They stated that students, context, and disciplinary knowledge could greatly cause constant change in the progression and formation of professional identity. The research could shed more light into the improvement of language teachers’ professional development and teacher education programs.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the elementary and advanced teachers’ formative assessment literacy of speaking skill in Teaching Persian to Non-Persian Speakers context. To this end, 26 teachers of teaching Persian to non-Persian speakers, mostly female, took part in this study. To collect data about their speaking assessment practices, they were primarily involved in a semi-structured interview related to the components of aims, contents, and methods of their speaking assessment. Afterward, they answered five scenarios. The interviews were based on Xu and Brown’s (2016) framework, and the scenarios were based on Chappius and Stiggins’ (2009) assessment quality and standards. In this phase, in addition to aims, content, and methods, and two additional components of giving feedback and students’ participation in assessing the speaking skill were examined. The interview results in relation to the aims for the instructors of elementary and advanced levels shed light on six criteria including comprehension, learning and progress, teaching method and curriculum efficacy, weak and strong points, communicative and practical competence, self-confidence and feedback; in relation to content, grammatical accuracy, pronunciation, fluency, interaction and communication, pragmatics, content, turn taking and participation, and spoken and written differences were recognized; and in relation to methods, class conversation, audio and video files, modeling and memorizing, game and competition, summary telling, question and response, playing roles, giving speech, problem solving and authentic activities were identified. Quantitative analysis of the interviews and scenarios indicated statistical differences among the two groups of elementary and advanced teachers.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
This study investigated the construct validity and measurement invariance of the Teacher Emotion Questionnaire to introduce a valid and reliable instrument for assessing English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) teachers’ emotions inside the classroom. Second language (L2) teacher emotions have been largely neglected, despite the fact that Educational Psychology has long recognized and researched the role of teacher emotions in different aspects of teaching and learning. To bridge this gap, the current study had 208 Iranian EFL teachers in private language institutes fill out the Teacher Emotion Questionnaire (TEQ), which assessed six emotions teachers experience in their classroom, i.e., Joy, Pride, Love, Anger, Fatigue/Exhaustion, and Hopelessness. The preliminary analysis of the data showed that six items from the TEQ had a factor loading below the minimum recommended level of 0.3, meaning that they contributed to the total variance in the participants’ score less than expected. The collected data were then submitted to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the purpose of construct validation and establishment of the factorial structure of the TEQ. The CFA results indicated that the hypothesized six-factor analysis had more favorable goodness-of-fit indices than both a one-factor structure and a two-factor structure (e.g., positive versus negative emotions). Multilevel CFA revealed that the tested six-factor structure of the TEQ was invariant across male and female EFL teachers. The implications for the use of TES in EFL teaching contexts are discussed, and some suggestions are proposed for further validation of the TEQ in language teaching contexts.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The study attempted to investigate the association between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy among English teachers. It also attempted to examine the role of experience in predicting this relationship. The present study was pioneering in investigating the role of experience in moderating the association between English teachers’ EI and their self-efficacy beliefs in private English school context. The participants in the present study included 120 English teachers from seven private language schools in Urmia, Iran. Two questionnaires of Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence Scale and Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale were utilized in order to collect data. Bivariate correlations, linear and multiple regressions were run to analyze the data. The findings indicated that there is a positive relationship between emotional intelligence, its subscales, and self-efficacy among English teachers. It was found that emotional intelligence can predict some of the variation in the teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs. It was also found that experience does not moderate this relationship. The study concluded that pre-service and in-service teachers can benefit from training programs that can assist them in blossoming their emotional latencies. The implications of the findings of the present study for teacher educators are that they can benefit from enhancing pre-service and in-service teachers’ EI, which will concomitantly ameliorate their self-efficacy. Future research studies are recommended to concentrate on flourishing teachers’ EI by developing pertinent activities and training courses.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The intricate connection between teacher support, academic burnout, grit, and psychological wellbeing is a compelling area of research that has recently garnered second language (L2) education researchers' attention. This study aims to investigate such complex relationships with undergraduate English-major students in Iran. To this end, a sample of 318 undergraduate English-major students from various universities in Iran was selected through convenience sampling. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while LISREL software was employed for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to validate the measurement models. The findings revealed that teacher support showed a positive and significant correlation with students' L2 grit and L2 psychological wellbeing while demonstrating a negative and significant correlation with students' L2 academic burnout. Furthermore, the simple linear regression analysis indicated that teacher support significantly predicted a 13% increase in students' grit and psychological wellbeing and a 0.03% in academic burnout. This suggests that measures to reduce the academic burnout of students in higher education should be prioritized in second language education through positive teacher support and positive psychology. The study provides valuable insights and recommendations for English language teachers, students, and policymakers and outlines future research directions.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The process of teaching and learning is a complex interplay of multiple factors, including teaching and learning styles. A mismatch between these styles can lead to negative outcomes. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the learning styles of non-Iranian Persian language learners and the teaching styles of their instructors. To explore the alignment and discrepancies between these variables, a quantitative method was employed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between them. This research was conducted with a sample size of 116 Persian language learners and 25 teachers, and data on learning styles were collected using the Perceptual Learning Style Preference Questionnaire (PLSPQ). The same questionnaire was adapted and validated to collect data on teaching styles. The study revealed no significant difference in the prioritization of visual, tactile, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles between learners and teachers. However, a notable difference was observed in group and individual learning styles. Furthermore, academic background emerged as a crucial factor affecting teaching style, with teachers who had completed a teaching Persian program (AZFA) prioritizing group-style instruction. The outcomes of this research underscored the existence of discernible disparities between the teaching styles of educators and the learning styles of students. As such, it was recommended that teachers adjust their teaching styles to align with the learning styles of their students.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Over the past decades, research on language teacher engagement in action research (AR) has received a surge of interest. However, little research is available on how teachers’ experience contribute to their development of agency and professional performances through their participation in an AR program. Accordingly, this study explored the role of experience in five novice and five experienced language teachers’ development of agency and practice before, during, and after their engagement in an action research engagement program (AREP). To this end, we collected data via semi-structured interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observations. The findings revealed that novice and experienced teachers’ development of their agency and professional practice undergo similar trajectories. Moreover, the study argues that although experience affects teacher-researchers’ agentive role and performances, novice and experienced teachers go through similar paths as they engage in AR. However, the novice teachers became more oriented towards reflection-in-action during and after their engagement in AREP. Moreover, the novice teachers chose more AR tools and drew more on their AR experience which, in turn, facilitated their professional growth through tool transformation. We conclude the paper with implications for teacher education to better understand the role of AR in teachers’ agency development and professionalism.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The positive role of reflective teaching and well-being as means of fostering teaching quality has mainly remained at the level of speculation and there is little empirical evidence to illustrate their impact on enhancing professional development. To fill this existing gap, this study examines the contribution of reflection and psychological well-being as predictors of professional development. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, 350 English language teachers were selected randomly and participated in a survey. Following that, six teachers through purposeful sampling participated in a focus group interview to investigate the relationship among the aforementioned variables. The correlational analysis confirmed the positive relationship among these three constructs and a structural equation modeling indicated that both reflection and well-being significantly predicted professional development; however, well-being was a stronger predictor compared to reflection. The qualitative analysis of data revealed four main themes contributing to professional development among teachers. The pedagogical implications are also elaborated and discussed.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The current study identified EFL teachers' emotional experiences in technology-equipped classes from an appraisal theoretical framework (Frenzel, 2014). It further explored the underlying antecedents of the recognized emotions and sought instructors' suggestions for improving the current unpleasant feelings experienced. To this end, 10 EFL teachers took part in the study. Necessary data were collected through journalkeeping and semi-structured interviews. The obtained data were analyzed using Merriam's (2009) inductive approach. Research findings revealed that teachers enjoyed the class as a result of students' achievement, positive interactions among learners, and pupils' active involvement. Moreover, they felt proud if they received positive feedback from students, observed progress in students' learning, and felt capable of instructing the learners. Furthermore, shame was experienced because of feeling unable to work with technical tools, strong filtration on educational websites, and not having internet-connected systems in class. Anger was also reported to be felt if they had to work with obsolete or impaired devices. Finally, teachers' pity was aroused as they perceived the lack of professional technical tools as detrimental to students' learning. They also mentioned that they felt compassion for learners as they cannot take part in CBTs and have limitations accessing e-sources online. Teachers also argued that unpleasant emotions could be minimized through investing in equipping classes, holding training courses, and establishing a criterion for teaching evaluation. In the end, the implications and limitations of the study are discussed.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Despite the ever-growing demand for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) provision within universities around the globe and the impressive growth EAP has experienced throughout the last decades, very little attention has been paid to EAP teacher education and professional development. The present study is part of a research project that examined the existing requirement for a teacher education program for English for Medical Purposes (EMP) within the Iranian higher education system and developed a program, titled Teaching English for Medical Purposes (TEMP), and its accompanying curriculum drawing on a systematic process through a four-round Delphi study using the collective opinion of a panel of 22 EAP and EMP experts. In so doing, it employed a written interview, three questionnaires, and a comprehensive data analysis approach, incorporating a combination of inductive thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s (2022) model, descriptive statistics, paired samples T-test, and Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance. The current paper focuses on the modalities and structure of the program developed. At the final round of the study, the panelists came to the consensus that a flexible pre-service graduate program can be the best alternative for EMP teacher education. This program is modular and hybrid in nature and offers benefits such as flexibility, cost-effectiveness, access to resources, targeted education, in-depth knowledge, and practical experience. Short-natured in-service instruction in the form of seminars or workshops was also recommended for ongoing professional development of the EMP teachers to stay updated with the latest research trends.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
The present research study aimed to investigate the pragmatic awareness, attitudes, and practices of nine upper secondary English teachers in EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms, with a focus on the intercultural aspects of the subject. Using a phenomenological methodology, the study conducted nine semi-structured interviews with English teachers of upper secondary students. Teachers demonstrated a high level of awareness of pragmatics, particularly when presented with pragmatic input based on syllabi formulations. The awareness suggested a recognition of the importance of pragmatic competence in language learning. Teachers incorporated pragmatics into their teaching methods. Pragmatics was used as a tool for fostering metacognitive conversations about language, helping students understand the appropriateness of certain phrases or words. Teachers aimed to make students aware of why people communicate in certain ways. The understanding of the reasons behind communication choices was deemed important for both teachers and students. Teachers perceived the intercultural dimensions of the English subject as crucial. Issues such as monocultural teaching groups, filter bubbles, and the rise of difficult conversations were highlighted. Teachers found using students' first languages to be an important tool for understanding and scaffolding their learning of English. The incorporation of pragmatics in the EFL classroom not only benefits language development but also serves as a facilitator in developing an understanding of other people. The study suggested a link between pragmatic awareness and intercultural competence in language teaching.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Teachers’ Continuous Professional Development (T-CPD) is of utmost importance for language teachers. T-CPD is the stimulation for updating teachers’ subject knowledge and their teaching skills. Therefore, the predictive power of Psychological Well-being, L2 Teacher Grit, Grit-s, and Perceived Organizational Support (POS) on T-CPD was investigated through the mediating role of Work Motivation. Those who have participated in this study were 189 L2 teachers, who were from Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. They took part in an online questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using Path Analysis. Before running path analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was run to estimate Cronbach’s Alpha. Based on the CFA, two items (one from L2 Teacher Grit and one from POS) that did not have good loadings were removed from the scales. Then, the authers used path analysis to check the causal relationship among the variables in the proposed model. The fitness indices showed good fitness. Moreover, the more domain-specific L2 Teacher Grit performed better than the Gris-s scale. These insights can inform strategies for enhancing T-CPD and improving the overall quality of education. In addition, the results put light on the design of teacher training programs and organizational policies that aim to improve teacher quality and student outcomes.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Teaching is a profession which is intermingled with emotional relationships. Teachers’ relationships with their classes have been shown to positively influence their performance. However, despite the novelty of the concept of teacher-class relationship (TCR) in the field of applied linguistics, examining the relationship between language teachers with the whole class has not received due attention. To shed more light on this novel concept and its antecedents, the present study aimed to investigate the role of psychological well-being, foreign language teaching enjoyment and work engagement in the TCR of language teachers. A sample of 428 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers participated in the study by completing four online questionnaires, namely the Teacher-Class Relationship Scale, the Psychological Well-being at Work (PWBW) Scale, the Foreign Language Teaching Scale (FLTES), and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results of structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that EFL teachers’ psychological well-being, foreign language teaching enjoyment and work engagement were strong predictors of their TCR. In addition, it was revealed that work engagement was the strongest predictor. The findings were discussed regarding the significance of developing EFL teachers’ TCR. This study suggests that EFL teachers with high level of well-being who enjoy their profession and have dedication to their job are more likely to build strong relationships with their classes. Finally, suggestions for future research were provided.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Considering EFL teachers’ identities and emotions as discursive practices through a post-structuralist lens offered by the concept of navigation of emotions, this study sought to explore EFL teachers’ emotional experience in online classes during online education to examine the way their emotional navigation helped them negotiate their identities. The participants, including 17 Iranian EFL teachers, working at universities in the West, North, and East of Iran, were chosen using purposeful sampling. To generate data, in-depth interviews and personal documents were used, which were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The participants spoke of the experience of mixed emotions, creating the sense of ambivalence, which offered the possibility of dialectic thinking for reconciling contradictory views and questioning the existing dominant and preconceived ideas. Moreover, they navigated their emotions through emotional reflexivity and positive reframing. While emotional reflexivity, as a process of self-confrontation, consisted of relational struggles and agency, reframing, as an example of deep acting, entailed emotional resonance or a sense of aliveness and connectivity as well as a possibility for stressing the transpersonal attachment, as a novel concept to be addressed in teaching English. The role of positive emotions in enriching language learning processes, which is mainly ignored in language education, was underscored because the cultivation of positive emotions in English language learners increases their intrinsic motivation, enhances their engagement, and creates a sense of belonging to the target language.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Despite the abundance of research on the language teachers’ pedagogical knowledge base (PKB), there is a scarcity of studies probing into the teachers’ individual differences and how they relate to the teachers’ instructional effectiveness. To address this gap, we investigated the association of language teachers’ pedagogical knowledge and their instructional efficacy, shedding light on the similarities and differences in the knowledge base of the teachers. Through administering a context-specific self-efficacy test, eight teachers were selected based on their scores and put into two groups. Afterwards, a 90-minute instructional session of each teacher was video-recorded and later used in a stimulated-recall interview with the teacher. The verbal reports were transcribed verbatim and subjected to thematic content analysis to identify the teachers’ pedagogical thoughts. The results indicated significant differences between the groups, with the high efficacy group reporting an average of 4.18 thoughts-per-minute in contrast to 2.85 thoughts-per-minute reported by the low efficacy group. Five of the dominant knowledge categories were common between the two groups, though with varying frequencies and ranking. The findings offer implications for attending to the construct of self-efficacy and its sources in teacher professional development, as well as the socio-cognitive and emotional side of teacher preparation and development.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
Learners’ classroom involvement is thought to be highly influential in their academic success in that highly involved learners typically invest more time and energy in acquiring course content. For this reason, the predictors and determinants of learners’ classroom involvement have been highly attended to by educational researchers. Nonetheless, the predicting role of teachers’ emotional competencies like compassion and empathy has rarely been researched. Furthermore, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, no theoretical review has looked into the concurrent impacts of teachers’ compassion and empathy on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners’ classroom involvement. To address this lacuna, the current theoretical review aimed to explicate the effects of these two emotional competencies on EFL learners’ classroom involvement. The desirable effects of teachers’ compassion and empathy on EFL learners’ involvement were demonstrated using theoretical and empirical evidence. The implications of the present review’s findings are thoroughly discussed.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
For decades, both researchers and EFL learners have been interested in native-like pronunciation. While extensive research has delved into a variety of pedagogical approaches and the complexity of English phonology, an unanswered question is how high-proficiency EFL learners achieve the elusive goal of native-like pronunciation in spoken English. To this end, this multiple-case study aimed to explore the multifaceted strategies employed by 15 high-proficiency EFL learners who had mastery in pronunciation and were selected using the maximum variation sampling method. Data was gathered through the use of diaries and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed with NVivo software version 10, and two main themes were extracted: teacher-directed (TD) and self-directed (SD) pronunciation learning strategies. Regarding the TD strategies, some participants (46%) acknowledged actively engaging with structured tasks and assignments facilitated by teachers. They highlighted the role of in-class (36%) and out-of-class (64%) activities in their journey to master pronunciation. The SD strategies were reported by about half of the participants (54%) in their quest for pronunciation mastery, which included self-talk (48%), podcast listening (29%), shadowing (12%), and reading aloud (11%). This study contributes valuable insights into relevant literature and offers evidence of the interconnectedness of TD and SD strategies in pronunciation improvement. The findings have several implications for further research or practice about pronunciation mastery.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
This research is aimed to capture EFL teachers’ use of technology in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) by focusing on the variety and intensity of tasks in teaching reading. Driven by the survey research, the data were collected from 71 teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Indonesia and analyzed descriptively. The findings show that the EFL teachers perceived that the use of technology in TBLT in teaching reading is important and it can enhance students' language learning experiences. Technology offers engaging materials and activities that aid reading comprehension. Furthermore, EFL teachers' use of various tasks and resources may indicate a need for continuing professional development to improve digital literacy skills and pedagogical strategies of English teachers in EFL context. Although the findings of this survey give an insight into the data of English teachers’ use of technology in TBLT in terms of variety and intensity in teaching reading, this survey has its limitations with regard to the numbers of participants. This research highlights the dynamic relationship among technology, TBLT, and reading instruction in the EFL context, and suggests the need for continued research and exploration of best practices in this area. The current study succeeded in adding new empirical studies related to the variety and intensity in pre-reading, whilst-reading and post-reading activities of EFL teachers enacting teaching reading with the use of TBLT.
Volume 0, Issue 0 (2-2024)
Abstract
This study explores teachers’ readiness to implement generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in their teaching and learning processes, alongside the benefits and challenges related to its utilizations in the Omani context. The data analysis process involved analyzing responses from the 5-point Likert scale questionnaire using descriptive statistics. A sample of 61 teachers with different qualifications from different educational institutions in the Sultanate of Oman participated in the study. The findings revealed that teachers had a positive level of readiness to implement GenAI, highlighting a spectrum of readiness levels, such as attending training sessions about GenAI, and a significant willingness of utilizing GenAI tools in their classes. On the other hand, teachers reported a positive benefit and experience in improving their teaching, stating that GenAI enables them to save their time, improves their teaching experience and job satisfaction, and offers them adaptive learning and instant feedback. However, findings revealed number of challenges for teachers such as a lack of awareness about policies and ethics in implementing GenAI tools, and their cost. Moreover, teachers indicated a moderate concern regarding the challenges of integrating GenAI tools into their teaching practices. Based on the findings, the study provides significant insight for teachers, policymakers, and syllabi designers, stressing the significant importance of preparing teachers to efficiently integrate GenAI in their pedagogical duties to make the most educational potential while mitigating related risks.
