Student Perceptions of Effective Foreign Language Teachers: A Quantitative Investigation from a Korean University - Article 2

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

The study uses a questionnaire to quantify how students from a Korean university value effective foreign language teacher attributes. Students rate rapport qualities such as friendliness, care, and patience highly, along with delivery practices including clear explanations, error correction, and a participatory instruction mode. High priority is also given to impartiality, target language knowledge, and good preparation, plus viewpoints on instructional issues such as selective use of the first language, explicit grammar instruction, and specific questioning techniques.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Rationale for investigating student perceptions

Need for anonymous feedback and aggregated data

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 38 | Issue 2 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | 2013 Student Perceptions of Effective Foreign Language Teachers: A Quantitative Investigation from a Korean University Bruce D. Barnes Ewha Womans University, Seoul, [barneseol@hotmail.com](barneseol@hotmail.com) Graeme Lock Edith Cowan University, [g.lock@ecu.edu.au](g.lock@ecu.edu.au) Recommended Citation Barnes, Bruce D. and Lock, Graeme (2013) "Student Perceptions of Effective Foreign Language Teachers: A Quantitative Investigation from a Korean University,"Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Vol. 38: Iss. 2, Article 2. Available at: [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss2/2](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss2/2) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss2/2](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol38/iss2/2) Australian Journal of Teacher Education Student Perceptions of Effective Foreign Language Teachers: A Quantitative Investigation from a Korean University Bruce D. Barnes Ewha Womans University South Korea Graeme Lock Edith Cowan University Abstract: The present study uses a questionnaire instrument to measure the importance that students from a Korean university place on a wide range of effective foreign language teacher attributes. Respondents to the present study placed high importance on rapport attributes such as friendliness, care, and patience; and delivery attributes which included the provision of clear explanations, error correction, and a participatory mode of instruction. Impartiality, target language knowledge, and good preparation were attributes also rated highly. The results also provided insights into student opinions about various instructional issues, such as the selective use of the students’first language, explicit grammar instruction, and particular questioning techniques. This knowledge can be used by foreign language teachers and student teachers to improve the efficacy of their instruction. Introduction The present study aims to establish what value students from a Korean university place on the effective foreign language (FL) teacher attributes uncovered in a previous qualitative study in the same context (Barnes & Lock, 2010) . While the study conducted by Barnes and Lock was effective in establishing a list of effective teacher attributes and some elaborations, no generalisations could be made about the importance placed on the attributes by the student body. Therefore, a quantitative study was called for that would test the values placed on these attributes from a proportional-stratified sample of the student population under study. Investigations into student perceptions of effective FL teachers are necessary, so that teachers in training and practitioners can understand how to approach and improve their practice. When a teacher and his or her students have opposing views about what should occur in the classroom, the students may lack confidence in the teacher’s ability. Without this confidence, motivation and effective learning are unlikely (Dörnyei, 2001; Horwitz, 1987) . Therefore, in order to create and maintain an atmosphere of trust and support so necessary for effective learning, teachers need to discover areas of discord between what they do and what the students expect, and then address those areas of discord. However, in doing so, teachers should not merely pander to students opinions and use this knowledge as the deciding factor in classroom decisions. In some cases, teachers may find that they need to re-evaluate their teaching practice, but in other cases, teachers may aim to amend the views of their students. Either way, awareness of the areas of discord is necessary. Unfortunately, students (and language students in particular) are not always willing or able to communicate their opinions freely to their teachers. This sometimes creates situations Vol 38, 2, February 2013 19

FAQs

What method does the study use to measure teacher attributes?

It uses a questionnaire instrument to quantify the importance students assign to a wide range of effective foreign language teacher attributes.

Which teacher attributes were rated highly by students?

Students rated rapport attributes like friendliness, care, and patience highly, and also valued delivery attributes such as clear explanations, error correction, and participatory instruction.

How can the study’s findings be used in teaching practice?

The results can help foreign language teachers and student teachers improve the efficacy of their instruction by informing how they address students’ expectations and areas of discord.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine