Một người giáo viên tiếng anh tốt từ góc nhìn của sinh viên khoa sư phạm tiếng anh đhnn đhqghn

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION

GRADUATION PAPER

A GOOD EFL TEACHER
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF STUDENTS
IN FELTE, ULIS, VNU

Supervisor:

Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng (M.Ed)

Student:

Đinh Thu Hiền

Course:

QH2014.F1.E1

HÀ NỘI – 2018


ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH

KHÓA LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP

MỘT NGƯỜI GIÁO VIÊN TIẾNG ANH TỐT
TỪ GĨC NHÌN CỦA SINH VIÊN
KHOA SƯ PHẠM TIẾNG ANH, ĐHNN, ĐHQGHN

Giáo viên hướng dẫn: Th.s Nguyễn Thị Kim Phượng
Sinh viên:

Đinh Thu Hiền

Khóa:

QH2014.F1.E1

HÀ NỘI – 2018


I hereby state that I: Dinh Thu Hien, class QH2014.F1.E1, being a
candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (TEFL) accept the requirements of
the College relating to the retention and use of Bachelor’s Graduation Paper
deposited in the library.

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited
in the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in
accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care,
loan or reproduction of the paper.

Signature

May 4, 2018

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
These are my heartfelt thanks dedicated to all the ones who have made this
graduation paper possible.
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my
supervisor, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Phuong for the wholehearted support and
constructive feedback that she has offered to me during the last months. To be
honest, it should be sheer luck that I conducted this research under her enthusiastic
and dutiful supervision. No matter how hard I have struggled to finish the thesis,
she has always been there with infinite patience and timely assistance. I am also
thankful to her for never imposing any personal ideas on me, even when I chose to
change the topic of research. She was always respectful and accompanied me with
the greatest encouragement that I would have never imagined.
Secondly, I would like to say thanks to Mrs. Dinh Hai Yen, Ms. Phung Ha
Thanh, Mrs. Pham Thi Thu Ha, Mrs Nguyen Thuy Phuong Lan, Mrs. Can Thuy
Linh, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa and many other teachers in Faculty of English
Language Teacher Education. Although they have not ever been my supervisors,
or ever heard about my topic, they did, in one way or another, inspire me to
conduct this graduation paper. Of course, all of them are “good teachers”, to me.
Thirdly, I am extremely thankful to all the participants who were willing to
spend their valuable time completing the questionnaire and taking the interviews.
But for their supportive participation, my research would be far from finished.
I also wish to acknowledge my debt of gratitude to all the previous scholars
and researchers who have explored the topic. Thanks for their hard work in the
past, I was able to gain a deep insight into the issue and inherited a source of
wisdom, laying foundation for my research.
Next, my deepest thanks go to my parents, my sister and other family
members for unconditional love and care. They have always given me

i

considerable encouragement so that I could concentrate on my study and finish
this paper. Thanks to all my dear friends who have shared with me the amazing
experience on the way to carry out this research.
Last but not least, I send special thanks to myself of last days. Had it not
been for her persistence, effort and a mind for good things, this paper would not be
fully finished. Thanks to her for having appreciated every single moment doing
this thesis, and reporting honestly whatever found. This thank is also for her not to
forget that she has to try harder in the future career, if she dreams to be a good
teacher and a good researcher.
Thank you so much for reading this paper at the moment. I wish you enjoy
it someway!

ii


ABSTRACT
Foreign language teaching and learning in Vietnam has been undergoing
drastic changes, creating the need for training high-quality English as a Foreign
Language (EFL) teachers. This mixed-method study investigated the perspectives
of students in a teacher education program about characteristics of a good EFL
teacher and the construction of their perceptions. Initially, 117 juniors and seniors
in Faculty of English Language Teacher Education (FELTE), University of
Languages and International Studies (ULIS) were asked to complete a self-report
questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted to provide
explanation for significant quantitative data. The results disclosed that pedagogical
skills and content knowledge were the two most important aspects of an EFL
teacher as perceived by the participants. Specifically, they highly valued teachers
who suit teaching with students‟ level; give explicit instructions and useful

feedback; master English language; respect students; be open-minded, inspiring
and support learning independence. On the other hand, using ICT and learnercentered approach, catering for individual learner, being humorous, and
performing as moral guides were the least desired qualities. Student teachers‟
perceptions were mostly influenced by their experience with previous teachers,
from whom they form their role models. Their beliefs were also shaped through
self-reflection, “filtering”, and problem-solving in teaching experience, knowledge
base and reflective practice provided in teacher education course. Social context
acted as a platform for them to negotiate between genuine beliefs and the reality.
These findings have signified a role model of EFL teachers from the perspective
of pre-service teachers. They also implied the consideration of student teacher‟
pre-existing beliefs in teacher training and a program shifting from theory-based to
experience-based that employs reflective approach.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

Acknowledgements

i

Abstract

iii

Lists of figures

vi

List of tables

vi

List of abbreviations

vii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1

1.1. Background of the study

1

1.2. Statement of research problem & research questions

3

1.3. Scope of research

4

1.4. Significance

4

1.5. Organization

5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

6

2.1. A good teacher
2.1.1. Definition of a good teacher
2.1.2. Characteristics of a good teacher

6
6
7

2.2. A good EFL teacher
2.2.1. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of students
2.2.2. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of practicing teachers
2.2.3. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of pre-service teacher

10
10
11
13

2.3. Summary

21

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

22

3.1. Research design

22

3.2. Research population and Sampling

22

3.3. Data collection

24

3.4. Data analysis

28

iv


CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

31

4.1. Characteristics of a good EFL teacher as perceived by third year and fourth
year students
31

4.1.1. Content knowledge – an preliminary condition of a good EFL teacher32
4.1.2. Pedagogical skills - the most desirable EFL teacher qualities
34
4.1.3. Behaviors towards students – creating working and personal
relationships
37
4.1.4. Personality - a bonus point for a teacher of English
39
4.1.5. Broader educational goals – Is it the main responsibility of a teacher? 41
4.2. The construction of third year and fourth year students‟ perceptions of a
good EFL teacher
44
4.2.1. Factors shaping pre-service teachers‟ idea about a good EFL teacher 44
4.2.2. Ways to affect student teacher‟s teaching beliefs
46
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION

52

5.1. Summary of major findings

52

5.2. Implications

54

5.3. Limitations and Suggestions for further research

56

REFERENCES

58

APPENDICES

63

Appendix 1: Questionnaire

63

Appendix 2: Interview questions

67

Appendix 3: Transcript

69

v


LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Teacher cognition, schooling, professional education and classroom
practice
17
Figure 2: The importance of categories to an EFL teacher as ranked by third year
and fourth year students

31
Figure 3: Factors influencing student teachers‟ perceptions of a good EFL teacher
45

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Mean score for characteristics of a good EFL teacher in terms of the
content knowledge
33
Table 2: Mean score for characteristics of a good EFL teacher in terms of the
pedagogical skills
35
Table 3: Mean score for the characteristics of a good EFL teacher in terms of the
attitudes and behaviors towards students
38
Table 4: Mean score for characteristics of a good EFL teacher in terms of the
personal characteristics and attitudes
40
Table 5: Mean score for characteristics of a good EFL teacher in terms of the
broader educational goals and skills
41

vi


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EFL
FELTE
FL
ICT

NNEST
TESOL
ULIS
VNU

English as a Foreign Language
Faculty of English Language Teacher Education
Foreign Language
Information and Communications technology
Non-native English Speaker Teacher
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
University of Languages and International Studies
Vietnam National University

vii


CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
This chapter presents the rationale, the research objectives, the study scope,
the significance and the organization of this research paper.
1.1.

Background of the study
In the last decades, much research has been conducted to answer the

question “What makes a good teacher?” In other words, desirable characteristics
of teachers have long been discussed by scholars, especially in the field of teacher
education (Brosh, 1996). The primary reason why criteria of a good teacher attract
such a great interest may stem from teacher‟s pivotal role in education system
(Miron, 2006). Their professional effectiveness has a great impact on not only

teaching but also learning efficiency. As a result, it is critical that ideal attributes
of teachers be established and duplicated among teacher community in an effort to
improve the teaching quality. Moreover, an ideal image is likely to act as a good
reference for teachers to build up their role model while developing professional
performance. Last but not least, a set of desirable teacher qualities, to some extent,
reflect personal and social expectations towards teaching profession and the role
of teachers as well.
In Vietnam, the indispensable role of English in globalization era has led to
an increase in the demand for English learning. Teaching English as a Foreign
Language, consequently, is placed in a more important position than ever.
However, the more prevalent English learning becomes, the more English teaching
reveals its limitation. Grammar translation, which has been the conventional
English teaching methodology in Vietnam, is now proclaimed to be unsuitable
regarding its humble efficiency in improving communicative competence among
learners. As a result, quality English teaching becomes a popular topic, arousing a
mounting concern to the whole society including learners, teachers, parents,
experts and educational administrators. Under this condition, the enhancement of
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language teacher quality is assumed to open a potential path for quality English
teaching. That is why research on the traits of a good English as a foreign
language (EFL) teacher will be expected, with respect to its contribution to this
hotly debated topic in Vietnam.
Regarding research conducted in this field, most of them pay focus on the
perception of teachers and students towards the ideal attributes of EFL teacher
(Brosh, 1996; Shishavan & Sadeghi, 2009; Al-Mahrooqi, Denman, Al-Siyabi, &
Al-Maamari, 2015; Zamani, & Ahangari, 2016). Others, on the other hand,
demonstrate the viewpoint of educational experts. Little attention has been paid to
pre-service teachers, in other words, the undergraduate students attending in

language teacher training programs. Although this group represent future teachers‟
image and they play a crucial part in teacher development process, their voice in
the field seems to be neglected. Therefore, this study aims at exploring
characteristics of a good EFL teacher as perceived by students in a teacher
education course. By examining pre-service teachers‟ expectations towards a good
EFL teacher, the researcher expects to fill in the research gap and help improve
English Teacher Education field in Vietnam.
Third year and fourth year students in Faculty of English Language Teacher
Education (FELTE), University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS),
Vietnam National University (VNU) are selected as subjects of this research.
Since ULIS is one of Vietnam‟s leading institutions in the field of language
teacher training, the research might create a significant contribution to the college.
Furthermore, as these undergraduate students are assumed to become teachers in
the foreseeable future, it is worthy that their perception about teacher qualities be
unveiled. Moreover, it is supposed that, after several years studying in teacher
education program, they may have constructed a relatively comprehensive picture
for the role model they desire to pursue in the career path. Last but not least,
research on the perception of juniors and seniors towards their ideal professional
2


qualities also helps accommodate the professional development of pre-service
EFL teachers.
1.2.

Statement of research problem & research questions
According to Shishavan and Sadeghi (2009), as English language teachers

play a key role in effective language learning, studying characteristics of effective
EFL teachers is of prime importance. In fact, qualities of a good EFL teacher have

long been investigated by researchers in the field of language teacher education
(Zhang & Watkins, 2007; Brosh, 1996, as cited in Al-Mahrooqi, Denman, AlSiyabi, & Al-Maamari, 2015). However, most of these studies were conducted in
Western context (Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2015). Some studies in the field are found in
Vietnam context but they prefer teachers and students‟ perspectives to pre-service
teachers‟ opinion (Tran, 2015; Diem, 2010). Nevertheless, it is suggested that
teacher education should stem from the exploration of pre-service teachers‟
perceptions of teaching profession (Bullough and Baughman, 1997, as cited in Le,
2013). As can be seen, despite the important role of pre-service teachers in teacher
education, there exists a considerable gap when it comes to research expressing
the voice of these future professionals. Therefore, it is crucial that characteristics
of a good EFL teacher from the perspective of pre-service teachers be detected.
In addition, there is an absence of research conducted to probe the
formation of student teachers‟ perceptions about effective teaching. A thorough
exploration into teachers‟ beliefs, on the other hand, plays an important part in
teacher education since teachers‟ attitudes may impact their understanding of
classroom events as well as professional behaviors (Clark, 1988, as cited in
Weistein, 1989; Gabillon, 2012). Studying about the factors that influence teacher
belief formulation is supposed to be essential by the researcher since it is likely to
contribute to a deeper understanding of the construction of expected professional

3


characteristics. Provided these factors are discovered, teacher educators would
have more evidence to develop a program that promotes desirable characteristics.
Therefore, to identify student teachers‟ most-wanted EFL teacher qualities
and the formation of their ideas, these following research questions are explored:
1) What characteristics do third year and fourth year students in FELTE,
ULIS, VNU perceive to be important to a good EFL teacher?
2) How is their perception of a good EFL teacher constructed?

a. What factors shape their perception of a good EFL teacher?
b. In what ways do these factors impact their perception of a good
EFL teacher?
1.3. Scope of research
The research focuses on investigating the perception of third year and last
year students in Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, ULIS, VNU
about a good EFL teacher. Participants view desirable teacher qualities in the
following categories: Subject content knowledge, Pedagogical knowledge and
skills, Attitudes and behaviors towards students, Personal characteristics and
attitudes, and Broader educational goals and skills. The population of this research
are third year and fourth year students in 17 classes 14E1, 14E2, 14E3, 14E4,
14E5, 14E6, 14E7, 14E8, 15E1, 15E2, 15E3, 15E4, 15E5, 15E6, 15E7, 15E8,
15E9 in FELTE, ULIS, VNU. These students, whose major is English Language
Teaching, are considered pre-service teachers. They are training to become teacher
of English in the future. The language used to conduct the survey and interviews is
English.
1.4. Significance
This research is supposed to be significant when it comes to the following
aspects. Firstly, it will bridge the gap of literature in the field by raising the voice
4


of pre-service teachers in Vietnam. Secondly, it is expected to expand the topic in
a new direction. While previous research paid much attention to compare and
contrast between teacher and students‟ perceptions of a good English teacher, this
study explores how the construction of EFL role models takes place among
student teachers. Thirdly, it is hoped to generate practical significance in
developing teacher education programs. By learning the perceptions of students of
education on teacher qualities, the research allows not only student teachers to
reflect upon their future career but also teacher educators to develop appropriate

training programs. Lastly, the research possibly affords opportunity for anyone
who is interested in education to have deeper insight into the perception of
prospective teachers: what is their role model and how it is constructed.
1.5. Organization
This paper includes three major sections which are introduction,
development, and conclusion respectively. In the first part, the background, the
research questions, the scope, the significance and the arrangement of research are
presented, providing an overview about the study area. For the development
section, it is divided into three chapters: literature review, methodology, results
and discussion. The literature review enquires about theoretical background
associated with the topic, by that way, identifying research gaps to fill in. The
methodology describes the population, the sampling strategies, the data collection
and data analysis procedures of this thesis. Subsequently, findings and discussion
section aims to report what was found and give clarification for those findings in
an effort to reply the research questions. As the final section, conclusion
summarizes the findings, indicates the contribution of the study, acknowledges its
limitations and suggests orientation for further research.

5


CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter reviews theoretical background related to the examined topic.
Through a comprehensive investigation into the previous studies, research gap is
discovered and presented.
2.1. A good teacher
2.1.1. Definition of a good teacher
A considerable amount of literature has been published on the concept of a
good teacher. These definitions, nevertheless, vary sharply among scholars
because of the distinctive criteria taken into account.

Firstly, a good teacher can be defined in relation to the subjects involved in
educational process. Some researchers depend on students‟ achievement to
determine teaching mastery, while others value high performance ratings from
supervisors. In other cases, the evaluation of students, administrators and
stakeholders are utilized to delineate the figure of outstanding teachers (Stronge,
2018).
Another benchmark to propose the notion of good teachers is the role that
teachers are expected to perform in classroom. According to Cooper (2010), a
good teacher is an instructional expert who plans, guides, and assesses learning; a
manager controlling the academic environment; and, a counselor who develops
interpersonal sensitivity. In other words, teaching professionals are able to deploy
their pedagogical skills for instructional purpose, establish classroom atmosphere
that promotes learning, and maintains healthy relationship with students, parents,
colleagues and administrators. Cruickshank (1987), on the other hand, labels
effective teachers as reflective individuals who can make qualitative judgment on
theoretical and practical facets of teaching. Hunter (1982) portrays good teachers
in the role of rational decision makers. As recommended by him, in order to

6


produce accurate decisions in class, teachers need master theoretical knowledge
and teaching skills.
The last basis utilized to produce the definition of a good teacher is the
perceptions of teaching profession. Throughout the history, this definition has
shifted from mechanistic to humanistic views (Combs, Blume, Newman, and
Wass, 1978). From the mechanistic view, teaching is perceived an occupation, and
teacher can be technically considered a worker, with observable and trainable
expertise. However, this viewpoint seems to underestimate the complexity of
teaching and the role of teacher in educational procedure. Teaching is not only a

mechanical profession with the purpose of imparting knowledge but also “about
human relationships” (Combs et al., 1978, p. 23). Therefore, researchers in favor
of the humanistic view refers to good teachers as “unique personality,… an
intensely personal thing” (Combs et al.,1978, p. 7). They “must possess the most
accurate understandings about people and their behavior available in our time”
(Combs et al., 1978, p. 23).
The dissesion within scholar community as regards the definition of a good
teacher reflects a fact that teachers can be viewed in different roles with different
responsibilities. Such queries as whether they should be assessed by students or by
administrators; whether they should act as experts of knowledge or facilitators of
learning, and whether they should be seen as professionals with certain knowledge
and skills or unique individuals with interpersonal relationships are occasionally
dubious. However, there seems a shared point among those opinions: good
teachers possess some attributes associated with knowledge, teaching skills and
personalities.
2.1.2. Characteristics of a good teacher
The diversity in the ways “a good teacher” is defined results in the
dissimilarity of answers when the question “what makes a good teacher” is put

7


forward. There is a large volume of published studies reflecting diverse viewpoints
in response to this question.
Several attempts by education experts have been made to identify essential
qualities of a teacher. According to Arends, Winitzky, and Tannenbaum (1998), a
high-quality teacher possesses personal attributes that allow effective interpersonal
communication; exhibit positive dispositions toward knowledge (e.g., intellectual
orientation and enthusiasm); develop an extensive repertoire of teaching practices
to motivate pupils, enhance their academic performance, upgrade higher-level

thinking and nurture self-regulate learners. They are also supposed to master selfreflection and problem solving to adapt their professional knowledge to different
contexts. In more detail, Miller (2012, p.38) lists eleven characteristics of a good
English teacher which can be categorized into four areas:
CATEGORIES

CHARACTERISTICS

AFFECTIVE

Enthusiasm

CHARACTERISTICS

Encouragement
Humor
Interest in the student
Availability

SKILLS

Creativity
Challenge

CLASSROOM

Pace

MANAGEMENT

Fairness

ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE

Grammar

Some other studies consult students‟ perspective to evaluate good teacher
qualities. In 2015, Bakx, Koopman, Kruijf and Brok carried out a survey to
investigate prerequisite characteristics of a teacher from the eyes of primary
school pupils. Among 11 categories of characteristics, the three most appreciated
8


by young learners were “personality-related”, “didactic skills and pupil guidance”,
and “authority” (p.555). Desirable elementary teachers were largely described as
humorous, kind but adequately strict, and able to deliver explicit instructions. In
another paper, Miron (2006, pp. 48-51) identified five factors which contributed to
a good teacher as perceived by college students. Particularly, the “advising” role
refers to teachers‟ attributes involving teacher-student relationship such as
“providing feedback, willingness to encourage and help student, a direct
approach”. The second factor, “delivery”, mentions the capacity of teacher in the
role of an instructor, which emphasizes his/her instructive methods. Whereas
“Contribution” factor regards teacher‟s degree of dedication towards students‟
“motivation and intellectual development”, “scholarship” portrays university
instructor as a “researcher, intellectual and scholar” with superior academic
qualities. The last factor, “personal traits” covers such individual characteristics as
“a pleasing appearance, a sense of humor, and friendliness”.
When forming the central focus of studies on teacher qualities, parents
emphasize the importance of teacher‟s expectation towards students, their role
modeling and their activeness in informing about learners‟ progress. The research
of Qureshi (2013) indicates that Asian American parents believe effective teachers

should put high expectations on students; be able to individualize instruction based
on their understanding of students‟ needs, strength and weakness; possess desired
personalities (nice, kind, tender, fair, patient, approachable, fun, open-minded,
respectful); be good role model (dress, behave, speak appropriately); teach life
skills to students (critical thinking, problem solving, time management,
punctuality); be good at speaking and listening; and keep parents updated with
their children‟s learning.
A review of teacher‟s characteristics from distinctive standpoints has
revealed a dearth of consensus as to the universal traits of teachers. In other words,
the way teachers are perceived hinges deeply on the expectations of evaluators,
9


which could, to some extent, imply a number of responsibilities that teachers
shoulder as professionals in community. While educational specialists underscore
their command in classroom manipulation, students pay meticulous attention to
their ability to maintain good teacher-student connection and motivate learning.
Dissimilarly, parents are partial to a teacher who takes personal interest in
individual pupils and demonstrates proper behaviors.
2.2. A good EFL teacher
However hard the afore-mentioned researchers attempted to detect global
qualities of a good teacher, it seems unfair to impose a common value on teachers
of disparate subjects. Because each learning and teaching environment displays
specific properties, desirable characteristics of a mathematics teacher may turn to
unexpected for a teacher of English (Brosh, 1996). Consequently, EFL teachers,
characterized by the nature of teaching English as a Foreign Language, may be
recognized in a distinguishable way. With an aim to discovering the unique
characteristics of a good EFL teacher, the following sections review some studies
reporting the necessary attributes of an English teacher. Most of them investigate
the matter from the angle of students, practicing teachers and pre-service teachers.

2.2.1. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of students
Numerous studies across cultures have tried to decipher the distinctive traits
of EFL teachers as perceived by students. Yet much of the research to now has
been descriptive in nature and revealed a wide divergence in findings.
Park and Lee (2006), in a study carried out in Korea, compared the
perceptions among groups of high school students through self-reported
questionnaire. Among three categories describing qualities of an EFL teacher,
pedagogical knowledge was rated remarkably higher than English proficiency and
socio-affective skills (the ability to create relationship with students). A serious

10


inconsistence with the findings of this study, however, is that although
instructional skills were highly appreciated, the most preferred characteristics
(reading and speaking competence, the ability to boost students‟ interest and
motivation in learning English) belonged to the other categories. In China, Chen
and Lin (2009) continued to investigate the idea of high school students about
characteristics of effective EFL teachers. Surprisingly, the reported findings did
not confirm what was found by Park and Lee (2006), showing that students
favored teacher‟s personality and teacher-student relationship rather than
instructional competence. Being enthusiastic in teaching, friendly, open-minded,
respectful and caring about students were the most important characteristics of a
good teacher.
Unlike the above-mentioned studies which employed questionnaire as the
single tool of research, Tran (2015) examined Vietnamese students‟ perceptions of
a good EFL teacher using both interview and survey. The advantage of this
approach is that it allows not only a large scale survey but also qualitative
information that facilitates the understanding of students‟ beliefs. Data from this
research mentioned English competence, teaching ability and socio-affective skills

respectively as the most important qualities of English teachers. In addition,
teachers‟ knowledge of Western and Vietnamese cultures; their application of
technology in teaching were assumed to contribute positively to learning
efficiency. Particularly, teachers were also demanded to conduct their teaching and
behave professionally in classroom, which was possibly explained by student-ascustomer position in Vietnamese informal education section.
2.2.2. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of practicing teachers
The opinion of foreign language teachers about an effective professional
was first reported by Brosh (1996). Data from qualitative and quantitative phases
shows that FL teachers accentuate the importance of subject knowledge, teaching

11


skills and several behaviors towards students. In terms of the knowledge, teachers
should showcase proficiency in target language, ideally when compared with
native speakers (Mullock, 2003; Borg, 2006; Park & Lee, 2006). Particularly,
speaking seems to be the most appreciated characteristics since oral production
plays “a central role” in language teaching (Borg, 2006, p. 13). Furthermore,
Brosh‟ study indicates that the knowledge of FL teachers also covers the
familiarity with target cultures and that FL teachers may be regarded
“representative” of the target language community (p. 132). This is supported by
Borg‟ research (2006), when teachers in TESOL course affirm the beliefs that
teaching language includes reflecting the thinking ways of foreign culture. With
respect to the instructional skills, effective FL teachers, in the research of Brosh
(1996), are supposed to excel at organizing, explaining; raising interest and
motivation for learners. Moreover, they should treat students fairly and be
available for assistance. Nevertheless, the finding might have been far more useful
if the author had categorized characteristics systematically.
The work of Mullock (2003) has improved the weakness in the previous
research when he divides the characteristics of good EFL teachers as perceived by

novice and experienced TESOL teachers into five themes. Firstly, pedagogical
content knowledge and skills are the ability to transform content knowledge to
learners in a captivating and comprehensible way. Secondly, attitudes and
behaviors towards students mention “developing a personal and working
relationship with students to maximize student learning, showing empathy” (p.
12). Teacher‟s personal characteristics and attitudes refer to such characteristics as
sense of humor, responsibility, enthusiasm about teaching, generosity and open
mind. Fourthly important, content knowledge includes the mastery of subject
matter, target language culture; and near-native English proficiency. Lastly, a
good English teacher with broader educational goals and skills “helps students
form a good personality, provides a good moral example, opens students‟ eyes to
12


the outside world, stretches and challenges students, doesn‟t emphasize exam
results” (p. 13). These results support the idea of prior research that content
knowledge, teaching skills and teachers‟ behaviors constitute an expert teacher,
moreover, personalities and broader educational goals are complemented.
Interestingly, this cross-culture study also reveals that cultural origin may be
embedded in EFL teachers‟ beliefs and Vietnamese teachers highly valued
teachers as moral guides.
In short, the study of Mullock (2003) has provided quite a comprehensive
frame to evaluate an EFL teacher based on five categories, which lay the
foundation for the method design of this paper.
2.2.3. A good EFL teacher from the perspective of pre-service teacher.
2.2.3.1. Characteristics of a good EFL teacher as perceived by pre-service
teachers
Among a number of research inspecting qualities of effective EFL teachers,
merely a few examine this area from the angle of pre-service teachers though.
Therefore, this part of literature review begins by exploring prospective teachers‟

attitudes towards characteristics of a good teacher in general.
The research of Weinstein (1989) reveals that pre-service teachers
emphasize more on teacher-student relationship when it comes to qualities of
skillful teachers. Among twenty characteristics of a “really good teacher”
recognized by prospective ones, “caring/understanding/warm/friendly”, “ability to
relate to children”, “patience”, “ability to motivate students”, and “ability to
maintain discipline” are the most desirable (p. 58). The vital role of working
relationship with students could be found in the findings of Book, Byers and
Freeman (1983) as well. In this research, a questionnaire was used to shed light on
pre-service teachers‟ beliefs in the principal teaching purposes. Subsequently, the
goal widely selected by these teacher students was “to work with students in a way

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that will help them address their personal concerns and develop healthy selfconcepts” (Book et al., 1983, as cited in Murphy, Delli & Edwards, 2004, p. 73).
Although aforementioned studies disclose analogous implications that
student teachers highlight the significance of interpersonal skills to a teacher,
findings presented by Strickland, Page and Page (1986, as cited in Murphy et al.,
2004) propose academic aspects as the center of their concerns. Accordingly,
teacher qualities highly appreciated by pre-service teachers are the competency in
explaining, and the impressive command of subject in charge.
Most recently, the research of Sheridan (2011) discovered that students of
teacher education not only expect good content knowledge and skilled socioaffective strategies from their teachers but also other characteristics. Specifically,
from the perspective of pre-service teachers majoring in physical education, good
teachers should possess expert knowledge; demonstrate excellent interpersonal
qualities (showing an interest in the students, encouraging students, building
rapport and understanding the students‟ background); have good classroom
management skills (catering for learning needs and students‟ interest); conduct
good pedagogical practice (having student centered approach, engaging students‟

interest, modifying and adapting teaching to suit different contexts); and showcase
standard professional behaviors (sharing and collaborating with other staffs,
keeping a professional distance with students).
In the light of previous studies, some researchers tried to express the voice
of student teachers with respect to good teaching, yet very little research attempted
to investigate the perceptions of EFL pre-service teachers on this matter. Borg
(2006) may be one of the rare researchers interested in the beliefs of pre-service
teachers about foreign language teaching. Among five groups of participants in his
project, the last two are prospective teachers of English from Hungary and
Slovenia. The findings from these groups unearth distinctive characteristics of
good EFL teachers as specified: using a wide range of teaching methods; being
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knowledgeable about language, culture, and general topics in life; exercising
“communication-related skills”; remaining up-to-date with the language; forging a
close, relaxed and positive relationship with students; explaining things in the
foreign language understandably; and possessing unique personalities (creative,
humorous, flexible, “actor” type, motivating, enthusiastic, communicate freely and
radiate positive feeling) (pp. 20-23). Notwithstanding the valuable findings this
study may contribute to the current research, an obvious shortcoming is that preservice teachers are not the main focus of this work, not to mention the limited
qualitative data given to clarify those results.
Apparently, the exploration of literature review has exhibited an urgent
need for research body associated with EFL pre-service teacher‟s perceptions of
effective teaching. The researcher was encouraged to further scrutinize this matter
as a consequence.
2.2.3.2. The formation of pre-service teacher’ beliefs about a good teacher
The notion of teaching beliefs has been defined as “teaching conception”,
“teaching values”, “teaching perceptions”, or “teaching images”. In a general
sense, it can be understood as “a teacher‟s cognitive and other behaviors [that] are

guided by and make sense in relation to a personally held system of beliefs,
values, and principles that guide the act of teaching” (Clark & Peterson, 1986, as
cited in Maxson & Sindelar, 1998, p. 5). In this research, the terms “teacher‟s
perception”,

“teacher‟s

belief”,

and

“teacher‟s

conception”

are

used

interchangeably.
Several attempts have been made to explore pedagogical belief of preservice teachers due to its prime significance to teacher education. Borg (2003)
contends that what teachers think, know and believe and what teachers do in class
have a strong inter-relationship. Therefore, examining prospective teachers‟
perspectives may illuminate their future decisions in the role of a teacher and we

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