The Influence of a Teacher’s Enthusiasm on the Teaching and Learning of English in High School Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69639/arandu.v13i3.2554Palabras clave:
teacher enthusiasm, English as a foreign language, student engagement, classroom emotions, qualitative researchResumen
Teacher enthusiasm can shape the way students experience an English class, particularly in terms of how motivated and comfortable they feel when participating. Although this topic has received increasing attention in EFL research, less is known about how secondary school students themselves experience enthusiastic teaching. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of ten students from a public secondary school in Quevedo, Ecuador. Data were gathered through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and open-ended questionnaires and examined through thematic analysis. Four themes were identified: emotional transmission and motivation, positive energy and willingness to learn, dynamic activities as evidence of enthusiasm, and respect and inclusion as conditions for participation. The students did not merely associate enthusiasm with the energy the teacher displayed in class. They also noted the teacher’s preparation, how the teacher motivated them to participate, the teacher’s willingness to listen to their thoughts, how the teacher responded respectfully to mistakes, and the use of meaningful activities. These experiences were linked to greater confidence and a greater willingness to participate in class. The findings indicate that students perceived the teacher’s enthusiasm through emotional support, classroom activities, and daily interaction with them.
Descargas
Citas
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cui, G., Yao, M., & Zhang, X. (2017). The dampening effects of perceived teacher enthusiasm on class-related boredom: The mediating role of perceived autonomy support and task value. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, Article 400. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00400
Dewaele, J.-M., Chen, X., Padilla, A. M., & Lake, J. (2019). The flowering of positive psychology in foreign language teaching and acquisition research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, Article 2128. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02128
Dewaele, J.-M., Franco Magdalena, A., & Saito, K. (2019). The effect of perception of teacher characteristics on Spanish EFL learners’ anxiety and enjoyment. The Modern Language Journal, 103(2), 412–427. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12555
Dewaele, J.-M., Witney, J., Saito, K., & Dewaele, L. (2018). Foreign language enjoyment and anxiety: The effect of teacher and learner variables. Language Teaching Research, 22(6), 676–697. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168817692161
Dewaele, J.-M., & Li, C. (2021). Teacher enthusiasm and students’ social-behavioral learning engagement: The mediating role of student enjoyment and boredom in Chinese EFL classes. Language Teaching Research, 25(6), 922–945. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211014538
Frenzel, A. C., Goetz, T., Lüdtke, O., Pekrun, R., & Sutton, R. E. (2009). Emotional transmission in the classroom: Exploring the relationship between teacher and student enjoyment. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3), 705–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0014695
Gaspard, H., & Lauermann, F. (2021). Emotionally and motivationally supportive classrooms: A state-trait analysis of lesson- and classroom-specific variation in teacher- and student-reported teacher enthusiasm and student engagement. Learning and Instruction, 75, Article 101494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2021.101494
Korstjens, I., & Moser, A. (2018). Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 4: Trustworthiness and publishing. European Journal of General Practice, 24(1), 120–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375092
Lazarides, R., Gaspard, H., & Dicke, A.-L. (2019). Dynamics of classroom motivation: Teacher enthusiasm and the development of math interest and teacher support. Learning and Instruction, 60, 126–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.01.012
Levitt, H. M. (2021). Qualitative generalization, not to the population but to the phenomenon: Reconceptualizing variation in qualitative research. Qualitative Psychology, 8(1), 95–110. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000184
Li, C. (2022). Foreign language learning boredom and enjoyment: The effects of learner variables and teacher variables. Language Teaching Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688221090324
Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406917733847
Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42, 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y
Peng, C. (2021). A conceptual review of teacher enthusiasm and students’ success and engagement in Chinese EFL classes. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 742970. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.742970
Richards, J. C. (2020). Exploring emotions in language teaching. RELC Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220927531
Song, Y. (2022). The constructive role of teacher enthusiasm and clarity in reducing Chinese EFL students’ boredom. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 874348. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.874348
Tran, C. T., & Le, Q. T. (2022). What is it like learning with an enthusiastic teacher? A survey on university EFL students. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 2(4), 134–148. https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22248
Xu, W., & Zammit, K. (2020). Applying thematic analysis to education: A hybrid approach to interpreting qualitative data in practitioner research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, Article 1609406920918810. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406920918810
Zhao, Y., & Yang, L. (2022). Examining the relationship between perceived teacher support and students’ academic engagement in foreign language learning: Enjoyment and boredom as mediators. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 987554. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.987554
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2026 Selena Mayerli Suarez Álvarez, Jardel Coutinho Dos Santos
Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.
