ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to characterize and investigate qualities of an effective English language instructor as perceived by Thai English language learners. A scale- ranking questionnaire based on four categories – English proficiency, pedagogical knowledge, organization and communication skills, and socio-affective skills – was administered to 99 foreign language learners majoring in Business English at an International University in Thailand. The item-objective congruence (IOC) index of each item ranged from 0.8 to 1.0. Semi-structured focus group interviews were carried out to elicit in-depth responses. The purpose of triangulation was of twofold-confirmation and completeness. The results showed that students expect an effective language instructor to have the ability to read, write, speak, and listen to English proficiently and to use easy language to aid understanding. Language educators may find valuable pedagogical insights from the findings. They can plan and execute practices and lessons that would encourage students to get more involved in the English language learning process and improve language acquisition.
KEYWORDS
EFL, ideal language instructors, language instructor qualities, language teacher traits, teaching characteristics