Student perceptions of teacher immediacy, credibility, and love of pedagogy in enhancing learner engagement and motivation in higher EFL education

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54475/jlt.2023.024

Keywords:

teacher immediacy, credibility, love of pedagogy, motivation, engagement, higher EFL education, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The study provides an exploration into the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship within an EFL context. Through the use of qualitative analysis, it investigates the effect of immediacy, credibility, and pedagogical love on student engagement and motivation within a Saudi Arabian higher education setting. The study reveals that the three dispositions, when interconnected, can foster a conducive learning environment that encourages active student participation and enhances academic learning. The importance of prioritizing emotional connections over purely linguistic goals and integrating cultural and social beliefs into pedagogical practices were also explored. It also underscored the importance of using the vernacular in promoting cultural identity and positioning teachers as influential role models. The study further identifies student perceptions of respect from authoritative figures as significant and that teacher energy, both physical and intellectual, as critical in shaping student acceptance of the learning environment. Lastly, it highlights a generational shift in teaching methodologies towards a more modern, humanistic style in line with changing generations. The research ends with recommendations for professional development to engage language learners effectively and improve educational outcomes.

Author Biography

  • Amel Shoaib, King Abdulaziz University

    Amel Shoaib holds a PhD in applied linguistics from the School of English Studies at the University of Nottingham, and an MA in English Language Teaching from the School of Education from the same institution. She is a qualitative researcher interested in the topics of teacher/student motivation, blended learning, edutainment, immediacy, and academic integrity and their relationship to enhanced learning in higher education.
    Email: amshoaib@kau.edu.sa

References

Ai, T. H., & Giang, L. H. (2018). The role of teacher immediacy as a motivational factor in student learning. J. Glob. Socio-Economic Dyn, 6, 54–63. https://doi.org./10.35678/2539-5645.6(13).2018.54-63

Al Ghamdi, A. (2017). Influence of lecturer immediacy on students’ learning outcomes: Evidence from a distance education program at a university in Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 7(1), 35-39. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2017.7.1.838

Al-Zoubi, Z. (2016). Student perceptions of college teacher misbehaviors and teacher credibility as perceived by Jordanian university students. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 7(2), 324-330. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n2p324

Alharbi, A. O. (2019). The impact of Saudi Arabian teachers’ beliefs on their use of L1 or L2 in the classroom in the context of communicative language teaching: A literature review. Arab World English Journal, 10(4), 344-355. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no4.25

Alharbi, S. (2018). Immediacy practices in a virtual learning environment: Perceptions of tutors and female students at a Saudi university [PhD thesis, University of Reading].

Asiri, A. (2013). The impact of instructor immediacy on college student communication and learning outcomes in Saudi Arabia [PhD thesis, Victoria University].

Askildson, L. (2005). Effects of humour in the language classroom: Humour as a pedagogical tool in theory and practice. Arizona Working Papers in SLAT, 12, 45-61.

Barcelos, A. M. F., & Coelho, H. S. H. (2016). Language learning and teaching: What’s love got to do with it? In P. D. MacIntyre, T. Gregersen, & S. Mercer (Eds.), Positive psychology in SLA (pp. 130– 144). Multilingual Matters. https://doi.org/10.21832/9781783095360-006

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage.

Brewer, W. E., & Burgess, N. D. (2005). Professors’ role in motivating students to attend class. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 42(3), 23-47.

Chen, S. (2023). Modeling the effect of loving pedagogy dispositions and teacher self-efficacy on teacher burnout. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1157324. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1157324

Chesebro, J. L., & McCroskey, J. C. (2001). The relationship of teacher clarity and immediacy with student state receiver apprehension, affect, and cognitive learning. Communication Education, 50(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520109379232

Claus, C. J., Chory, R. M., & Malachowski, C. C. (2012). Student antisocial compliance-gaining as a function of instructor aggressive communication and classroom justice. Communication Education 6(1), 17-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2011.619270

Conrad, S. S., & Dabbagh, N. (2015). Examining the factors that influence how instructors provide feedback in online learning environments. International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, 4(5), 47-66. https://doi.org/10.4018/IJOPCD.2015100104

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage.

Cuddy, A. J., Fiske, S. T., & Glick, P. (2008). Warmth and competence as universal dimensions of social perception: The stereotype content model and the BIAS map. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 40, 61–149. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(07)00002-0

De Smet, A., Mettewie, L., Galand, B., Hiligsmann, P., & Van Mensel, L. (2018). Classroom anxiety and enjoyment in CLIL and non-CLIL: Does the target language matter? Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 8(1), 47-71. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2018.8.1.3

Dedoose. (2021). SocioCultural Research Consultants, LLC. https://www.dedoose.com

Dewaele, J.-M., & Dewaele, L. (2020). Are foreign language learners’ enjoyment and anxiety specific to the teacher? An investigation into the dynamics of learners’ classroom emotions. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 10(1), 45-65. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2020.10.1.3

Dewaele, J.-M., & Thirtle, H. (2009). Why do some young learners drop foreign languages? A focus on learner-internal variables. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 12(6), 635-649. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050802549656

Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford University Press.

Estepp, C. M., & Roberts, T. G. (2015). Teacher immediacy and professor/student rapport as predictors of motivation and engagement. NACTA J, 59, 155–163.

Fadel, S. A., & Al-Bargi, A. (2018). The use of humour in EFL classrooms: Comparative conversational analysis case study. Arab World English Journal, 9(2). https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol9no2.18

Fahara, M. F., & Castro, A. L. (2015). Teaching strategies to promote immediacy in online graduate courses. Open Praxis, 7(4), 363–376. https://doi.org/10.5944/openpraxis.7.4.228

Farnia, M., & Mohammadi, S. (2021). Exploring EFL teachers’ and learners’ perception of L2 humor: A case study of Iranian English language institutes. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 151–168. http://dx.doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911225

Freire, P. (2005). Teachers as cultural workers: Letters to those who dare teach. Westview Press.

Froment, F., & Gutiérrez, M. (2022). The prediction of teacher credibility on student motivation: Academic engagement and satisfaction as mediating variables. Revista de Psicodidáctica, 27(2), 149-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psicod.2022.04.003

Frymier, A. B., Goldman, Z. W., & Claus, C. J. (2019). Why nonverbal immediacy matters: A motivation explanation. Communication Quarterly, 67, 1-14. http://doi.org/10.1080/01463373.2019.1668442

Garner, R. L. (2006). Humor in pedagogy: How ha-ha can lead to aha! College Teaching, 54, 177-180. https://doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.54.1.177-180

Gholamrezaee, S., & Ghanizadeh, A. (2018). EFL teachers’ verbal and nonverbal immediacy: A study of its impact on students’ emotional states, cognitive learning, and burnout. Psychological Studies, 63(4), 398-409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-018-0467-5

Gorham, J. (1988). The relationship between verbal teacher immediacy behaviours and student learning. Communication Education, 37(1), 40-53. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634528809378702

Grimmer, T. (2021). Developing a loving pedagogy in the early years: How love fits with professional practice. Routledge.

Gudykunst, W. B., & Kim, Y. T. (1997). Communicating with strangers: An approach to intercultural communication (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill.

Guo, H., Gao, W., & Shen, Y. (2022). L2 enjoyment of English as a foreign language students: Does teacher verbal and non-verbal immediacy matter? Frontiers in Psychology, 13. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.897698

Gutiérrez, M. D., Froment, F., & Flores, J. G. (2023). Teacher credibility and learner engagement in traditional and nontraditional education university students. Revista de Education, 400, 301-321. https://doi.org/10.4438/1988-592X-RE-2023-400-94263

Hempelmann, C. F. (2016). Humor in the teaching of writing: A microethnographic approach. EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages, 3(2), 42-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.21283/2376905X.5.72

Hsu, L. (2010). The impact of perceived teachers’ non-verbal immediacy on students’ motivation for learning English. Asian EFL Journal, 12, 188–204.

Hussain, T., Azeem, A., & Abid, N. (2021). Examining the correlation between university students’ perceived teacher immediacy and their motivation. Psychology and Education, 58(1), 5809-5820. https://doi.org/10.17762/pae.v58i1.1990

Johnson, S., & Miller, A. (2002). A cross-cultural study of immediacy, credibility, and learning in the U.S. and Kenya. Communication Education, 51(3), 280-292. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520216514

Kaczynski, D., Eli Lieber, E., & Salmona, M. (2019). Qualitative and mixed methods data analysis using Dedoose: A practical approach for research across the social sciences. Sage.

Katt, J., & Condly, S. (2009). A preliminary study of classroom motivators and de-motivators from a motivation-hygiene perspective. Communication Education, 58(2), 213-234. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520802511472

Keller, M. M., Hoy, A. W., Goetz, T., & Frenzel, A. C. (2016). Teacher enthusiasm: Reviewing and redefining a complex construct. Educational Psychology Review, 28(4), 743-769. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9354-y

Kelly, S., Rice, C., Wyatt, B., Ducking, J., & Denton, Z. (2015). Teacher immediacy and decreased student quantitative reasoning anxiety: The mediating effect of perception. Communication Education, 64(2), 171-186. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2015.1014383

Klebig, B., Goldonowicz, J., Mendes, E., Miller, A. N., & Kat, J. (2016). The combined effects of instructor communicative behaviors, instructor credibility, and student personality traits on incivility in the college classroom. Communication Research Reports, 3(3), 152-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096. 2016.1154837

Lee, J. H. (2020). Relationships among students’ perceptions of native and non- native EFL teachers’ immediacy behaviours and credibility and students’ willingness to communicate in class. Oxford Review of Education, 46, 153–168. http://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2019.1642187

Li, W., & Rawal, H. (2018). Waning and waxing of love: Unpacking layers of teacher emotion. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 41(4), 552-570. https://doi.org/10.1515/cjal-2018-0038

Liu, W. (2021). Does teacher immediacy affect students? A systematic review of the association between teacher verbal and non-verbal immediacy and student motivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 90-102. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713978

López-Ozieblo, R. (2015). Cultural aspects of immediacy in an Asian classroom context. Estudios de Lingüística Inglesa Aplicada (ELIA), 15, 13.34. http://dx.doi.org/10.12795/elia.2015.i15.02

McCroskey, J. C., Sallinen, A., Fayer, J. M., Richmond, V. P., & Barraclough, R. A. (1996). Nonverbal immediacy and cognitive learning: A cross-cultural investigation. Communication Education, 45, 200-211. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634529609379049

McCroskey, J. C., & Teven, J. J. (1999). Goodwill: A reexamination of the construct and its measurement. Communication Monographs, 66(1), 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637759909376464

Mehrabian, A. (1971). Silent messages: Implicit communication of emotions and attitudes. Wadsworth.

Mercer, S., & Dörnyei, Z. (2020). Engaging language learners in contemporary classrooms. Cambridge University Press.

Mercer, S., & Kostoulas, A. (2018). Language teacher psychology. Multilingual Matters.

Mikušková, E. B. (2023). Generational differences in teachers’ professional competencies. European Journal of Educational Research, 12(4), 1657-1665. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.12.4.1657

Myers, S. A. (2004). The relationship between perceived instructor credibility and college student in-class and out-of-class communication. Communication Reports, 17(2), 129-137. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934210409389382

Myers, S. A., & Martin, M. M. (2018). Instructor credibility. In M. L. Houser & A. Hosek (Eds.), The handbook of instructional communication: Rhetorical and relational perspectives (pp. 38-50). Routledge.

Nayernia, A., Taghizadeh, M., & Farsani, M. (2020). EFL teachers’ credibility, nonverbal immediacy, and perceived success: A structural equation modelling approach Cogent Education, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2020.1774099

Neff, P., & Dewaele, J.-M. (2023). Humor strategies in the foreign language class. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 17(3), 567-579. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2022.2088761

Neuliep, J. W. (1997). A cross-cultural comparison of teacher immediacy in American and Japanese college classrooms. Communication Research, 24(4), 431-451. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365097024004006

Nezu, M. (2018). Series foreword. In K. R. Berenson (Ed.), Managing your research data and documentation. American Psychological Association.

Özdaş, F. (2022). Teachers’ immediacy behaviors and academic achievement: A relational analysis. Sage Open, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221091

Pawlak, M., Kruk, M., Zawodniak, J., & Pasikowski, S. (2020). Investigating factors responsible for boredom in English classes: The case of advanced learners. System, 91, 102259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102259

Pishghadam, R., Derakhshan, A., & Zhaleh, K. (2019). The interplay of teacher success, credibility, and stroke with respect to EFL students’ willingness to attend classes. Polish Psychological Bulletin, 50(4), 284–292. https://doi.org/10.24425/ppb.2019.131001

Pishghadam, R., Ebrahimi, S., & Al Abdwani, T. (2023). Development and validation of the teacher energy scale: A movement toward metapathy. Language and Translation Studies, 56(1), 1-38. https://doi.org/10.22067/lts.2022.78969.1160

Pogue, L. L., & AhYun, K. (2006). The effect of teacher nonverbal immediacy and credibility on student motivation and affective learning. Communication Education, 55, 331-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520600748623

Qin, W. (2021). EFL teachers’ immediacy and professional commitment on students’ boredom: A review of literature. Frontiers in Psychology 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.808311

Richmond, V., & McCroskey, J. (2000). Nonverbal behavior in interpersonal relations. Allyn & Bacon.

Ryan, M. (2023). Higher education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges, opportunities, and future directions. Research in Higher Education Journal, 43, 1-15.

Safaei, N., & Shahrokhi, M. (2019). Relationship between teacher self-disclosure and teaching style: Perception of EFL teachers. Cogent Education, 6(1), 1678231. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1678231

Santilli, V., Miller, A. N., & Katt, J. (2011). A comparison of the relationship between instructor nonverbal immediacy and teacher credibility in Brazilian and U.S. classrooms. Communication Research Reports, 28(3), 266-274. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2011.588583

Sarani, A., Negari, G. M., & Sabeki, F. (2019). Educational degree, gender and accent as determinants of EFL teacher credibility. Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 8(4), 2476-3187.

Scales, J. (2016). Immediacy-related influences on student success in a college algebra course: A qualitative case study [PhD thesis, Northcentral University].

Schrodt, P. (2013). Content relevance and students’ comfort with disclosure as moderators for instructor disclosures and credibility in the college classroom. Communication Education, 62, 362-375. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.3013.807348

Sheybani, M. (2019). The relationship between EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) and their teacher immediacy attributes: A structural equation modelling. Cogent Psychology, 6, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311908.2019.1607051

Shoaib, A. M., & Zahran, K. A. (2021). Systematic collective e-cheating in a Saudi Arabian higher education context: A case study. Higher Learning Research Communications, 11(2), 92–111. https://doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v11i2.1264

Song, H., Kim, J., & Luo, W. (2016). Teacher-student relationship in online classes: A role of teacher self-disclosure. Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 436-443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.07.037

Stipek, D. (2006). Relationships matter. Educational Leadership, 64(1), 46-49.

Teven, J. J., & McCroskey, J. C. (1997). The relationship of perceived teacher caring with student learning and teacher evaluation. Communication Education, 46, 1–9. https://doi.org./10.1080/03634529709379069

Vanderheiden, E. (2023). ‘I could never think of education without love’- Pedagogical love in the context of adult education. In C.-H. Mayer & E. Vanderheiden (Eds.), International handbook of love: Transcultural and transdisciplinary perspectives. Springer.

Walkem, K. (2014). Instructional immediacy in elearning. Collegian, 21(3), 179-184.

Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., & Pan, Z. (2022). Positioning an agenda on a loving pedagogy in second language acquisition: Conceptualization, practice, and research. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.894190

Wang, Y., Derakhshan, A., & Zhang, L. J. (2021). Researching and practicing positive psychology in second/foreign language learning and teaching: The past, current status and future directions. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731721

Wheeless, V. E., Witt, P. L., Maresh, M., Bryand, M. C., & Schrodt, P. (2011). Instructor credibility as a mediator of instructor communication and students’ intent to persist in college. Communication Education, 60(3), 314-339. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634523.2011.555917

Xie, F., & Derakhshan, A. (2021). A conceptual review of positive teacher interpersonal communication behaviors in the instructional context. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.708490

Yan, P. (2021). Chinese EFL students’ perceptions of classroom justice: The impact of teachers’ caring and immediacy. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.767008

Yin, L. C., Loreman, T., Majid, R. A., & Alias, A. (2019). The dispositions towards loving pedagogy (DTLP) scale: Instrument development and demographic analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 86, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.102884

Zhao, S., & Li, M. (2021). Reflection on loving pedagogy and students’ engagement in EFL/ESL classrooms. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757697

Shoaib (2023)

Downloads

Published

2023-10-18

Issue

Section

Original Research

How to Cite

Shoaib, A. (2023). Student perceptions of teacher immediacy, credibility, and love of pedagogy in enhancing learner engagement and motivation in higher EFL education . Journal of Language Teaching, 3(10), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.54475/jlt.2023.024

Similar Articles

11-20 of 62

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.