The Conceptual Framework of Teacher Personality in Relation to Student Engagement in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching
(Suleyman Demirel University)
Abstract. This review explores the relationship between teacher personality and student engagement, drawing on advancements in personality theory to understand how teacher personality affects education. It highlights certain characteristics that lead to more student engagement and others that cause anxiety and insecurity, leading to poor academic performance. The findings suggest the need for more empirical research to improve teacher effectiveness. Keywords: student engagement, teacher personality, review, personality theory.
Introduction. This paper discusses the relationship between teacher personality and student engagement, which has been understudied compared to the attention given to student engagement alone. Teacher personality is an important factor in teacher effectiveness and can influence student engagement, which in turn affects academic performance. Addressing disengagement requires understanding the reasons behind it, and the teacher-student relationship plays a crucial role in this. Personality traits should be considered when recruiting teachers, and the Five-Factor Model of personality is a useful framework for understanding teacher personality. Multiple scales are available to measure the Big Five domains.
1.Studies of personality traits. This passage examines different definitions of personality and their fundamental aspects. Roberts and DelVecchio (2000) define personality as distinctive psychological traits that direct people’s actions, beliefs, and emotions in various contexts. Mayer (2007) combines four mostly accepted definitions to create a consensus definition, describing personality as «a system of parts that is organized, develops, and is expressed in a person’s actions.» Guthrie et al. (1998) and Larsen and Buss (2008) view personality as an individual’s response to the environment based on organized and consistent psychological traits and mechanisms. Buss (1989) attributes traits as defining and distinctive features of personality, while Snow (1984) reports that traits are hereditary, permanent, and physically based. Recent research (Roberts et al., 2017) has shown that personality can be changed with clinical intervention and nonclinical methods (Hudson & Fraley, 2015). Jackson et al. (2012), Lüdtke et al. (2011), Specht et al. (2011), and Roberts et al (2006) argue against the idea of traits being immutable and permanent over a lifetime.
3.Studies of teacher personality and students (BFI related). According to Stronge et al. (2004), a teacher’s personality refers to their inner qualities reflected through values, beliefs, behavior, and attitude that impacts teaching performance, practice, and effectiveness (Curtis & Liying, 2001). Teacher personalities influence material choices, strategy, classroom management, and student relationships. Hashim et al. (2014) suggest that administrators should consider humanistic factors alongside educational qualifications when hiring teachers. Assessments of a teacher’s personality by students are influenced by the personality traits of the assessors (Göncz et al., 2014). Desired teacher traits include moderate extraversion, openness to new experiences, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Students prefer teachers who demonstrate respect, understanding. openness to cooperation, and good lecturing skills (Sánchez et al., 2011).
