Student Evaluation of Their English Language Teachers in Omani Basic Education Schools

Abstract

This research addresses the qualities of English language teachers in Omani schools from the perspective of school students. Using a self-report questionnaire designed to measure teacher’s various knowledge bases (i.e. content and pedagogical knowledge about teaching and learning, classroom management, teacher knowledge about both themselves and their students), the study specifically investigated the perceptions of 171 grade 9–12 school students of the qualities of their current English language teachers. The findings suggest that (1) the students perceived their teachers positively in all investigated qualities, (2) the students perceived teachers to be stronger in the affective domain (e.g. enthusiasm for teaching and fairness between students) than in the academic or cognitive domains (e.g. content and pedagogy) and (3) despite the absence of a gender effect, a significant academic achievement effect was detected. The final results suggest that teachers in grades 9 and 10 were perceived to possess more positive qualities by their students compared to teachers in grades 11 and 12. The study concludes by highlighting the importance of context in the education of English language teachers.