Abstract
Teacher cognition has established its status in applied linguistics and is gaining increasing attention in many English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts. In this regard, the present study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ cognitions on teacher-student relationships (TSRs). For this purpose, ten in-service EFL teachers were recruited through purposeful sampling to participate in this study. Constant comparative analysis and an inductive approach were used to analyze the data collected through semi-structured interviews and life-history narratives. Based on the findings, a good TSR promotes teachers’ well-being, job satisfaction, and classroom management skills. It also enhances the quality of students’ school life by improving student achievement, motivation, classroom participation, and self-confidence. The findings showed that while the teachers pointed to the significance of having a close relationship with students, they mainly adhered to the traditional teacher-centered and authoritative norms of classroom control. TSR was not duly acknowledged by the teachers in terms of the centrality of dialogic interaction as the necessary condition. The pedagogical implications promised by the findings of this study for different groups of stakeholders are discussed.
摘要
教師認知已在應用語言學領域確立了自己的地位，並在許多EFL背景中日益受到關注。為此，本研究探討了伊朗EFL教師對師生關係(TSR)的認知。本研究透過立意抽樣法，招募了10 名在職EFL教師參與。本研究採用持續比較分析法及歸納法，分析半結構式訪談及生命史敘說搜集得來的數據。研究結果顯示，良好的TSR能促進教師的幸福感、工作滿意度及班級經營技巧；良好的TSR也能藉由提升學生的學業成就、動機、課堂參與及自信，增進學生學校生活品質。研究結果顯示，雖然教師指出與學生建立密切關係的重要性，但他們主要還是堅守以教師為中心的傳統課堂管理及威權規範。就對話互動作為必要條件而言，TSR並未得到教師的充分認可。本文也探討了研究結果對不同相關利益群體的教學應用。
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Farzad Khani and Behruz Lotfi Gaskaree contributed to the design and implementation of the research, to the analysis of the results and to the writing of the manuscript.
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Appendix: Interview questions/topics
Appendix: Interview questions/topics
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How do you define a positive teacher-student relationship in an EFL classroom?
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What strategies do you use to build rapport with your EFL students?
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How do you handle conflicts or misunderstandings with your EFL students?
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How do you balance being approachable and friendly with maintaining authority in the classroom?
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How do cultural differences impact teacher-student relationships in an EFL classroom?
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How do you foster a sense of community and collaboration among your EFL students?
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How do you provide individualized support and attention to your EFL students while also managing the needs of the whole class?
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How do you involve parents in supporting their child’s learning in an EFL classroom?
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How do you assess the effectiveness of your teacher-student relationships in an EFL classroom?
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How do you continue to develop and improve your skills in building positive teacher-student relationships in an EFL classroom?
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Khani, F., Gaskaree, B.L. English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Cognitions on Teacher-Student Relationships: Voices from Iran. English Teaching & Learning (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-023-00158-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-023-00158-5