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Teacher Evaluation: What Counts as an Effective Teacher?

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Book cover Evaluation in Foreign Language Education in the Middle East and North Africa

Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

Abstract

The issues of teacher evaluation and teacher professional development have always been at the centre of policymakers and administrators’ attention. As a multidimensional phenomenon, teacher evaluation research has closely been intertwined with other concepts and notions such as teacher effectiveness that tends to serve as an important element in teacher evaluation systems. However, whereas there is a wealth of research on effective teaching in mainstream education, research studies in EFL/ESL contexts and particularly in higher education are rather sparse. Drawing upon the findings of a recent exploratory study, this chapter reports on Iranian EFL lecturers’ perceptions of the qualities and characteristics of an effective second/foreign language (L2) teacher. The statistical and thematic analyses of the data led to the emergence of five major categories each of which included a number of subcategories. Building on the existing frameworks in the literature, a newly modified model of effective teaching based on teachers’ personal (behavioural), cognitive, and metacognitive qualities as well as pedagogical, and professional skills is proposed. The analysis of the subcategories provided some new insights into areas the main stakeholders need to address such as policymakers, administrators, and teachers.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of English Language Teaching, Aliabad Katoul Branch, Islamic Azad University, Aliabad Katoul, Iran

    Omid Mazandarani

  2. Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

    Salah Troudi

Authors
  1. Omid Mazandarani
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  2. Salah Troudi
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Correspondence to Omid Mazandarani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. English Language Institute, University of Jeddah , Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Sahbi Hidri

  2. Higher Colleges of Technology , Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Christine Coombe

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Mazandarani, O., Troudi, S. (2017). Teacher Evaluation: What Counts as an Effective Teacher?. In: Hidri, S., Coombe, C. (eds) Evaluation in Foreign Language Education in the Middle East and North Africa. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43234-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43234-2_1

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