Communication skills: Top priority of teaching competency

Abstract

Teachers' competence has been identified as the most effective contributor to student’s achievement. Despite high expectations, diversity of backgrounds and student variations have led to the teaching and learning process to be challenging, causing teachers to be less clear to choose the best teaching method to be implemented in the classroom. This study was conducted to develop a model for determining the best constructs and skills to measure teaching competence. This cross-sectional survey study involved 328 teachers of secondary schools at province of Terengganu, Malaysia. The data were collected through questionnaires and analysed using SEM-AMOS by emphasizing four main elements of measurement such loading factor, convergent validity, discriminant validity and composite reliability. This study had successfully developed a measurement model of teacher's teaching competency that contains constructs of (i) communication with students, (ii) teaching strategies, and (iii) classroom management. The findings also identified 21 behavioural skills that teachers can use to improve their teaching competence. It is recommended to all parties whether teachers or educational leaders to utilize this result towards empowering the quality of teacher’s teaching, especially in terms of improving the training curriculum, teaching supervision, incentive schemes, promotions and so on.