What Makes an Effective EFL Teacher From Saudi Preuniversity Students’ Perspective

Abstract

The successful output of language learning process should ensure effective inputs by the key figures (teacher, student, stakeholder, and curricula) of education. This study aimed to examine preuniversity students’ perceptions on the attributes of an effective English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher in Saudi Arabia. Mixed-methods research design was applied to a sample of 231 students (135 males & 96 females) enrolled in the preparatory year program at a Saudi public university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using two instruments: 5-point Likert-type scale and open-ended questions. The students’ responses on the closed questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive analysis and independent t test, whereas the data from the open-ended questions were analyzed by chi-square (cross tabulation) and MS Excel using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that 88% of Saudi preuniversity students agree on the high importance of the attributes of personality, methodology, and language knowledge that make an effective EFL teacher. Cultural awareness is of significance to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. However, gender was reported as an insignificant variable to the effectiveness of EFL teacher. In addition, fame, age, and country of EFL teachers did not reveal any connection to the teaching effectiveness of EFL teachers. Recommendations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Keywords

attributes effective EFL teacher perceptions preuniversity students Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The emerging evolutions in learning and teaching approaches such as learner autonomy and student-centered learning amid information and technology-enhanced environments have moved students to the top of the educational pyramid. In this regard, as an important part of the success and progress of foreign language learning, it is very necessary to identify what types of attributes that students expect in their English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers to help them improve their language learning process. The phenomenon of good attributes that EFL teachers should possess has been attracting the researchers’ attention for the last two decades. A very limited number of studies on the aspect of “a good EFL teacher” has been conducted in the Middle East region (Abu-Rahmah, 2008; Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2015). The need for this study stems from the huge diversity of EFL teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There are many nationalities of EFL teachers working in Saudi Arabia who can be classified under three categories: nonnative speakers of English, near-native speakers of English, and native speakers of English. Therefore, it is important to identify the preuniversity students’ criteria that they follow when selecting good EFL teachers, thus contributing to their language learning success. This study is also of a significance in helping teachers improve the qualities valued by students.

Review of Literature

Good EFL Teacher: Definition and Qualities

Teachers being considered as a key figure to the success of language learning process should be aware of the qualities that interest and influence their students’ progress (Al-Seghayer, 2017). Good language teachers are defined as those who have a good command of language proficiency, are able to think and reflect on the culture of the target language, can vary their teaching methods, and have positive relationships with students (Borg, 2006). An effective language teacher should have a degree in English language, be an enthusiast with the language, good critical thinking, self-continuous improvement, self-subordination, cultural adaptability, professional citizenship, and work excitement as argued by Allen (1980, as cited in Brown, 2007). More specifically, students stressed the English language teacher’s communicative skills through discussion and activities, use of real examples to facilitate learning vocabulary and grammar, abilities to interest and motivate and respect their personal differences, and abilities to write, read, speak, and understand the target language (Febriyanti, 2018).

Research on effective EFL teachers has revealed a number of qualities that contribute to students’ language learning success. These qualities have mostly revolved around a number of categories: personality, language knowledge, teaching methods, organization and communication skills, and socioaffective skills (Abu-Rahmah, 2008; Al-Mahrooqi et al., 2015; Baytur & Razi, 2015; Brosh, 1996; Febriyanti, 2018; Gabrielatos, 2002; Park & Lee, 2006; Salahshour & Hajizadeh, 2013; Taqi et al., 2015; Wichadee, 2010). In addition, having reviewed literature on the effectiveness of EFL teachers, Al-Seghayer (2017) summarized those qualities into five main categories: cognitive knowledge, content knowledge, language proficiency, personality traits, and other related key variables that can be achieved through a number of channels, including initiatives and training programs and support and professional development opportunities.

The effectiveness of a language teacher is determined by two broad views: language and methodological knowledge/skills, and personality. Gabrielatos (2002) combined these two views into one framework that includes three main elements: personality, methodology, and language. Gabrielatos elaborated on Edge’s (2002, as cited in Gabrielatos, 2002) term “person-who-teaches” in which personality of teacher is stressed. Gabrielatos added the word language to Edge’s term, so it fits in the realm of language teaching (Person-who-teaches-language). Table 1 displays the elements and outlines the key aspects.

Table 1.

Framework of Effective Language Teacher.

Elements	Areas	Key aspects
Personality		Self-awareness, interpersonal skills, ability to observe, think critically, use experience, sensitivity to context, attitude toward change, development, diversity, quality, cooperation, authority, perception of learning, teacher/learner roles, development
Methodology	Knowledge	Views on methodology, available materials, own views on learning/teaching
Methodology	Skills	Seeing implications of theory, planning and teaching, balancing support and challenge, action research
Language	Knowledge	Views on language, awareness of own views on language
Language	Use	Own language use, ability to see the implications of language analysis, draw conclusions from own contact with language, sensitivity to learners’ language level

Effective EFL Teacher and Gender

The gender has been correlated with students’ and teachers’ choices of EFL teacher effectiveness and various findings have been revealed. Some studies reported differences in the choices of respondents attributed to genders (Abu-Rahmah, 2008; Chen & Lin, 2009; Ramazani, 2014; Taqi et al., 2015). However, some other studies showed that the genders did not have any effect on the respondents’ choices regarding the qualities of effective EFL teacher (Nghia, 2015; Wichadee, 2010).

Abu-Rahmah’s (2008) examination of 273 EFL male and female teachers’ qualities of good EFL teachers in three Arab countries (Oman, Egypt, & Saudi Arabia) using a quantitative questionnaire revealed significant differences attributed to genders in favor of female participants who valued almost all the qualities of a good EFL teacher in terms of personality, methodology, and language. Although there was a census on the qualities of a good EFL teacher among the respondents, the findings cannot be generalized because no randomization was used in the selection of the sample and no female students from Saudi Arabia participated. In addition, the findings would be more valid if the researcher had also examined the students’ perceptions on what makes effective EFL teacher as teachers might have tended to value all good qualities. Similarly, Chen and Lin (2009) revealed differences between 198 male and female school students’ perceptions of effective EFL teachers in Taiwan in favor of female students who valued the teacher as a person, his or her relationships to students, motivation of learners, and cultural awareness of the target language, whereas male students considered respect and ethics of teachers as more important. Moreover, 121 Iranian teachers and 348 students’ views of effective language characteristics in Urmia universities were examined using a self-report questionnaire. The findings on genders revealed the female students reported different characteristics from the male students in socioaffective skills (Ramazani, 2014). Finally, Taqi et al.’s (2015) study of 146 Kuwaiti female students concluded that gender is one of the criteria that students considered when choosing their English teachers.

On the contrary, Nghia (2015) examined the qualities of Vietnamese English teachers from students’ perspective through interviews and surveys. The results reported 12 effective qualities related to English competence, teaching methods, and socioaffective skills. In addition, the gender proved not to be significant for the perceptions of effective EFL teaching. Likely, Wichadee (2010) who examined 400 Thai university students’ and 53 teachers’ views about effective English teachers using a scale claimed that students perceived organization and communication skills as the most important quality. However, teachers perceived English language proficiency as the most important quality. The results also showed that gender of participants was not significant in their views of effective language teachers.

Perceptions of a Good EFL Teacher

Interest in searching the qualities of effective EFL teachers has been emerged to the surface since 1990s in relation to different perspectives such as field of study, gender, learning context, and age. For example, Brosh (1996) examined the teaching characteristics of the effective language teacher contributing successful language learning (foreign and mother) by 200 teachers and 406 pupils in Israel at 10 heterogeneous schools through a questionnaire and interviews about personal, pedagogical, and interactional qualities. Findings revealed that the teacher’s knowledge and command of the target language; ability to organize, explain, and clarify as well as to arouse and sustain interest and motivation; fairness; and availability to students were the most highly stressed qualities that contribute to the effectiveness of language teachers. In a study by Shishavan and Sadeghi (2009), 215 EFL learners in both public and tertiary education stressed the first language (Persian) as a major quality of an effective English language teacher in addition to other qualities that relate to the teacher’s personality and behavior. In another Iranian study, school students put more emphasis on the EFL teacher’s interest in his job, responsibility, encouragement to students, and use of time and evaluation (Salahshour & Hajizadeh, 2013). Baytur and Razi (2015) revealed that school students’ perceptions of the characteristics of effective English language teachers in Turkey focused on the teacher’s qualities of being friendly, having accurate pronunciation, and effective classroom management skills. Al-Mahrooqi et al. (2015) stressed the qualities of English language proficiency and treating students equally as of high priority by EFL Omani students and teachers, whereas knowledge about the Western culture and the use of technology and supplementary materials were not important. Finally, Febriyanti (2018) showed that Indonesian EFL tertiary students reported that EFL teachers must have ability to organize and communicate skillfully, pedagogical knowledge, socioaffective skills, and English proficiency.

To conclude, the literature has reviewed the definitions and qualities that EFL teachers should have, so they are effective and can contribute successfully to language learning. Effectiveness of EFL teacher has been also reviewed in relation to the factor of genders. The findings have showed that very little research, if not, has been conducted about the qualities of effective EFL teachers in students’ perspective in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study will make use of Gabrielatos’s (2002) framework of effective EFL teacher that focuses on three areas: personality, methodology, and language to answer the following questions:

What are the qualities of an effective EFL teacher from the perspective of preuniversity learners in Saudi Arabia?

Are there differences and similarities between preuniversity male and female learners’ perceptions of an effective EFL teacher?

Method

This study followed the mixed-methods research design in which a close-ended questionnaire and open-ended questions were administered online to collect the necessary data about what makes an effective EFL teacher. The closed questionnaire targeted the quantitative data about the students’ perceptions of the attributes of an effective EFL teacher, whereas the open-ended questions were employed to gain more in-depth qualitative explanations about other qualities of an effective EFL teacher.

Sample of the Study

The population of the study were preuniversity male and female students enrolled in the preparatory year program in the first semester of the academic year 2019–2020 at a governmental university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. In the preparatory year program, students study English language skills, communication skills, computer skills, and math skills for two semesters ahead of specialized science faculties. The total number of population is 680 male and 360 female students. Stratified random sampling was used to choose the sample of the study based on gender and level of study. Students at the Saudi universities are segregated based on gender where female teachers teach female students and male teachers teach male students and level of study; the program of preuniversity is two levels (1 and 2). After that, sample randomization was applied to choose a representative sample from both male and female sections. A total of 346 questionnaires were distributed to targeted students during English classes at the same time to ensure that a student did not respond to the questionnaire more than one time and 231 (135 male & 96 female) valid copies were collected. The participants in the sample of the study share a number of common features related to culture and nationality (Saudi), age (18–20 years old), English background (8 years at school), and track at high school (science stream).

Instruments

Two instruments were used in this study: close-ended and open-ended questionnaires to collect data about what makes an effective EFL teacher from the perspective of preuniversity students. The close-ended questionnaire was based on the theoretical framework by Gabrielatos (2002) in which three main elements that make a language teacher effective (personality, methodology, and language) are included. The questionnaire composed of 35 items under three main categories: personality (15 items), methodology (12 items), and language (eight items). The items were adapted from a study by Abu-Rahmah (2008). The participants’ responses were rated based on a 5-point Likert-type scale: 1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree.

The qualitative data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire for more insightful and in-depth information about students’ perceptions on what makes an effective EFL teacher in relation to extra qualities (not mentioned in the scale) that students may consider or wish to have in a good EFL teacher. The open-ended questionnaire included six questions adapted from Shishavan and Sadeghi (2009). They addressed issues on the role of EFL teachers’ fame, age, nationality, and culture. The collected data were analyzed through two types of analysis: chi-square (cross tabulation) for yes and no answers and Excel programing following the steps of thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke (2006). The data were classified under the questions, and students were given coded. Then, the data were read and initial codes were extracted and classified under the main themes, and the final report was written supported with quotes.

Validity and reliability were checked through experts and a pilot study. The survey was checked by four professors in the field of English language teaching and curricula. The suggestions concerned issues about rewording of some items that may not seem clear to respondents, deletion of some items that are neither applicable to the context like gender of teacher because female teachers teach only female students and male teachers teach only male students nor represent any of the three main categories, and addition of some items that are necessary to some factors. After that, the survey was piloted to 34 students other than those who participated in the main study. Using Cronbach’s alpha, the internal consistency of the scale scored .92 (see Table 2). Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the quantitative data looking for means, standard deviations, and correlation.

Table 2.

Internal Consistency of Closed-Item Questionnaire.

Domain	N	Items	Cronbach’s α
Personality	34	15	.83
Methodology	34	12	.84
Language	34	8	.85
Overall	34	35	.92

Results

Closed-Ended Questionnaire

Table A1 in the appendix reflects students’ responses on what makes an effective EFL teacher from their points of view with regard to three categories in terms of means, standard deviations, and percentages. As shown in Table A1, 88% of the students agree on the attributes that they responded to and believe that they are very important for an effective EFL teacher. This total agreement is also extended to all three domains that make an effective EFL teacher. The attributes of personality (M = 4.46, SD = 0.380) and language knowledge (M = 4.44, SD = 0.532) scored 89%, whereas methodology (M = 4.34, SD = 0.509) received 87%. In other words, students highly agreed on the personality, methodology, and language knowledge attributes that form his or her EFL teaching effectiveness.

Table A2 depicts students’ perceptions of the attributes of personality knowledge of an effective EFL teacher. This domain included 15 items. Table A2 shows that attributes of personality scored first (M = 4.46, SD = 0.380), which means that students highly valued the EFL teacher’s characteristics related to his or her personality. That teachers should be helpful (M = 4.69, SD = 0.590) and treat students justly (M = 4.68, SD = 0.634) received the highest priority. Having a moderate appearance did not touch students’ interests highly and came last (M = 3.66, SD = 1.112).

Table A3 displays students’ responses on the attributes of language knowledge of effective EFL teacher. which is composed of eight items. Language knowledge came second (M = 4.44, SD = 0.532). Students highly stressed this quality and almost all of the items received highly close means. Language proficiency and culture awareness were the most valued characteristics under this category (M = 4.57, SD = 0.626; M = 4.57, SD = 0.642, respectively). Knowledge about the students’ social cultural background and contribution to curriculum development were the least received priority (M = 4.25, SD = 0.976; M = 4.28, SD = 0.918) in order. If of any indication, this means that students cared a lot about what affects their language proficiency and achievement.

In Table A4, students’ perceptions on effective EFL teachers’ methodology knowledge are displayed. This domain had 12 items and came last. The category of methodology knowledge scored the lowest means (M = 4.34, SD = 0.509). This does not mean that students did not value the qualities of teaching methods. On the contrary, almost all the items scored high as shown in the means column. The use of different methods of teaching and execution of appropriate lessons had the highest means (M = 4.49, SD = 0.851; M = 4.50, SD = 0.741) in order. Using supplementary materials was of interest for students but had the lowest means in this category (M = 3.97, SD = 1.034). Students’ less preference of EFL teachers’ knowledge about teaching methods over personality and language aspects may be connected to their direct reflection on their personality and language learning and less experience in being able to evaluate the EFL teachers’ use of teaching methods.

Students’ perceptions on the attributes of effective EFL teacher were computed based on gender (male and female) using independent samples test as shown in Table A5. Table A5 shows that there are no any statistically significant differences between the male and female students’ perceptions on what makes an effective EFL teacher on the whole (M = 4.41, SD = 0.410; M = 4.42, SD = 4.42, respectively), t(227) = −.287, p = .774. The three categories also did not have any significance based on the genders of students. This means that male and female students share the views on the attributes that make an effective EFL teacher.

Open-Ended Questionnaire

The open-ended questionnaire targeted students’ perceptions on other attributes not mentioned in the closed questionnaires. Students were asked about their choice of EFL teacher, fame, age, country, and cultural awareness in relation to his or her EFL teaching effectiveness. Table A6 depicts the students’ yes and no answers to the questions in terms of frequencies, percentages, and significances.

As shown in Table A6, 57% of the students agreed that they are given the choice to choose their EFL teacher during the period of deletion and addition of sections and courses at the beginning of the semester. About 57.5% of the students stressed the fame as one of the attributes that contributes to his or her teaching effectiveness. However, age, country, and cultural awareness of the teacher did not have any effect on his or her teaching effectiveness of language (72%, 58%, and 52%, respectively).

The content analysis of the data collected through open-ended questionnaire has revealed rich results about factors not mentioned in the closed questionnaires. Four main factors were questioned in this part: fame, age, country, and culture of EFL teacher in relation to his or her language teaching effectiveness. Students agreed that the fame of effective EFL teacher is a very important variable that contributes to his or her language teaching positively for many reasons in connection with the themes of experience, personal traits, teaching methods, and proficiency. To provide some excerpts, a student (MS-175) wrote, “Fame means that teacher has a good experience.” Another student (MS-125) argued, “From the ex-students who were taught by the good fame teacher and for his sense of humor.” Regarding teaching methods, a student (MS-124) provided, “because of his style in teaching” and another student (FS-164) said, “because famous teacher can deliver information quickly.” EFL teachers are famous for their proficiency as shown in the students’ answers like what FS-214 wrote that fame means: “it reflects his proficiency that helps me improves my language and skills.”

Age has been valued by most students as one of the important factors of an effective EFL teacher. However, 28% stressed the factor of age and associated it with a number of issues. The students’ justifications have revolved around six themes: understanding, communication, experience, mental functioning, personal traits, and thought differences. To cite some of the students’ words, a student (MS-15) emphasized that the more the teacher is close to their ages, the more they understand as clear in the following excerpt: “yes, it does, because when he is young, he will be close to the students’ understanding.” Age may affect the teacher’s information communication to the students that he or she may lose desire and motivation to teach as provided by student FS-160: “yes, it has an effect on students as teachers may lose desire and motivation to communicate knowledge and information to students.” Age can increase the teacher’s teaching experience and assist in the students’ better understanding and learning. A student (SF-216) argued, “when teacher is older this means that he will have various teaching experiences and skills which reflect positively on students.” However, old teachers may be influenced by some mental problems such as forgetting information and inaccuracy. A student (MS-14) explained, “yes, because he may forget information and may not be accurate which will decrease his efforts and abilities to teach.” Age has been linked with the teacher’s personal traits such as activeness, appreciation, patience, respect, and sense of humor. A student (MS-132) added, “yes, young teacher is more active and is not tired from explanation and reexplanation to students.” Another student (MS-135) said, “old teachers are more understanding and patient.” Finally, age has been associated with differences in teachers’ thoughts due to different generations, ideas, and texts. To cite some of the students’ replies, a student (FS-226) added, “yes, if he was old, this may lead to some difficulties understanding the new generation due to different ideas and thoughts.”

The relationship between country and attributes of effective EFL teacher has indicated that 58% of the respondents provided that there was no connection, whereas 42% provided positive relationship as country of the language teacher may influence his or her comprehension, accent, culture, diversity, and communication. Country may have an effect on the students’ comprehension in terms of better explanation of difficult points as students provided. One student (MS-81) argued, “yes, so he is able to explain unclear ideas to the students.” The term accent has been repeated a lot by the respondents in connection with country of EFL teacher. Students explained that the country of EFL teacher would affect his or her accent of English language. A student (MS-105) provided, “yes, it does because English language has many dialects which differ from one country to another.” Country has also been associated with diversity and culture as clear in one of the students’ answers (FS-153): “Diversity is beautiful.” “Yes, the differences of cultures and discourse style” (MS-44). Finally, some students attributed the influence of the EFL teacher’s country to his or her communication skills as clear in this student’s words (FS-160): “Yes, because he may have difficulty communicating information.” More evidence is shown in the student’s excerpt (FS-200): “Yes, if the teacher was from an Arab country, he will explain better and I will be able communicate with him in case of any difficulties.”

Finally, 42% of the students reported that the cultural awareness of EFL teacher affects his effectiveness. They justified the effect of cultural awareness on the effectiveness of EFL teacher by a number of issues related to teaching methods, personality, students’ improvement, and knowledge. Regarding teaching methods of the effective EFL teacher who is aware of his or her culture and the target language culture, students provided reasons for the connection between culture and teaching methods that revolved around the provision of more examples, various styles of teaching, lesson explanation, and better delivery of ideas. To cite some excerpts, a student (MS-101) said, “Yes, because this will help him provide more examples understand better.” Another student (FS-201) argued, “Yes, because he will know how to deliver information by more than one way.” Culture may affect the EFL teacher’s personality in terms of wisdom, behavior, creativity, cooperation, and appreciation. A student (MS-4) answered, “yes, because it related to the teacher’s wisdom and behavior.” Another student (MS-99) added, “if he knows the culture, he will be more creative.” Students linked the EFL teacher’s cultural awareness to their language improvement in terms of enrichment, comprehension, ways of thinking, and proficiency. A student (MS-55) replied, “yes, because it will enrich the students’ information.” Another student (MS-127) wrote, “yes, because culture assists in comprehending students’ thoughts.” Finally, increasing the knowledge of teachers and students has been attributed to the teachers’ cultural awareness. One student (MS-15) argued, “the more his culture is, the more his knowledge will be.” “Yes, there may be new vocabulary and meaning for me” (FS-199).

The findings of open-ended questions have mainly emphasized and confirmed the students’ responses on the items in the closed questionnaire. That to say, students have linked the variables of EFL teacher’s choice, fame, age, country, and culture to the main constructs of effective EFL teacher: personality, methodology, and language knowledge, in addition to other qualities such as students’ improvement, diversity, knowledge increase, and communication.

Findings and Discussion

This study aimed at examining preuniversity students’ views on the attributes of effective EFL teachers. Three main findings have been revealed. Students highly agreed on the personality, methodology, and language knowledge attributes that form his or her EFL teaching effectiveness, in addition to his or her cultural awareness of the language. The variables of fame, age, and country of EFL teachers did not reveal any connection to their teaching effectiveness. The study has also revealed that there were no any statistically significant differences between the male and female students’ perceptions on what makes an effective EFL teacher.

The findings of this study confirm the previous literature having stressed the characteristics that EFL teachers should have, so they are effective teachers, which, in turn, reflect on the learners’ language learning level. About 88% of the students agreed that the attributes of personality, methodology, and language knowledge are very important for an effective EFL teacher. This finding is supported by previous literature such as Abu-Rahmah (2008), Al-Mahrooqi et al. (2015), Park and Lee (2006), and Brosh (1996). Students having emphasized the EFL teachers’ attributes of personality, methodology and knowledge means that they are of importance to them and contribute to their language learning improvement. Al-Seghayer (2017) argued that the qualities of effective EFL teachers have impacts on the successful teaching English and assist teachers in solving problems that learners encounter in their language learning process.

The study has also revealed that there were no any statistically significant differences between the male and female students’ perceptions on what makes an effective EFL teacher which means that male and female students share similar views on the attributes that make an effective EFL teacher. This finding is in line with Nghia (2015) and Wichadee (2010) who reported no significance in the male and female students’ responses on the effective qualities of EFL teachers attributed to the participants’ genders. Unlikely, this finding does not match with the studies by Abu-Rahmah (2008), Chen and Lin (2009), Shishavan and Sadeghi (2009), and Ramazani (2014) who reported statistical significance in the qualities of EFL teachers based on genders in favor of female students. Shishavan and Sadeghi (2009) reported that the genders of participants yielded different views on the EFL teachers’ efficacy. Most male participants favored female teachers as they are more effective, whereas female students liked male teachers as being stricter and having better control of the class.

Conclusion

This study has shined a light on the EFL preuniversity male and female students’ perceptions on what makes an effective EFL teacher. Students’ high emphasis on the attributes of effective EFL teachers of personality, teaching methods, and language knowledge is because these attributes contribute to their improvements in the aspects of personal traits, language improvement, communication, cultural awareness, and better understanding. The study implicates that students value their EFL teacher bases on views related to his or her qualities of personality, teaching methods, and/or language knowledge. Therefore, it is recommended that stakeholders take into consideration their students’ favorite attributes of EFL teachers, which assist in improving their language learning improvement and personality, especially in educational institutions in the Gulf countries where many sections of the same course are connected to many multinational teachers and students can choose their favorite. Stakeholders need to maximize their students’ perceptions on their EFL teachers and conduct training programs that help teachers improve the effective teaching qualities that students appreciate. The study findings are only generalized on the preuniversity students where it took place. Further research on correlating students’ and teachers’ perceptions on the effective qualities of EFL teacher to assist in elevating the quality of language learning and teaching processes and reach the targeted learning outcomes is encouraged. Future studies may examine the effects of information and communication technology on EFL teachers’ effectiveness as more and more online classes are being delivered.

Footnotes

Appendix

Table A6.

Students’ Responses on Open-Ended Questions.

Question	Gender	N	No	Yes	Exact sig. (one-sided)
Choice of teacher	Male	121	40	81	.000
	Female	91	52	39
	Total	212	92	120
	%		43	57
Fame of teacher	Male	126	54	72	.892
	Female	93	39	54
	Total	219	93	126
	%		42.5	57.5
Age of teacher	Male	126	92	34	.627
	Female	90	63	27
	Total	216	155	61
	%		72	28
Country of teacher	Male	126	75	51	.546
	Female	92	51	41
	Total	218	126	92
	%		58	42
Cultural awareness of teacher	Male	120	76	44	.000
	Female	91	33	58
	Total	211	109	102
	%		52	48

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Ali Abbas Falah Alzubi

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