Do English Language Teacher Qualities Affect Student Performance?: An Explanatory Study From Bangladesh

Abstract

This article reports on a mixed-method study conducted to investigate the correlation between English language teacher quality and student performance at a private university in Bangladesh. A closed questionnaire was used to generate quantitative data on teacher quality and student performance from 580 second year undergraduate students of BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration), CSE (Computer Science and Engineering), and LLB (Bachelor of Law) who completed an intermediate level English course from the university. Qualitative data on the same topic were collected through three Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) from 24 students (8 participants in each FGD) who responded to the quantitative questionnaire. A linear multiple regression analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 to identify the relationship between teacher quality and student performance. On the other hand, qualitative data were analyzed adopting the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to capture the lived experiences of the students in the classroom. Quantitative analysis shows that ‘caring behavior’, ‘teacher friendliness’, and ‘teacher fluency’ positively correlate with student performance whereas ‘understanding students’ mood’ negatively correlates with the performance of the students. Qualitative data corroborates the quantitative findings to a large extent. However, analysis of FGD data reveals that teacher quality can predict the performance of low-proficiency students, but it does not affect the performance of above average students. This paper concludes with a call for nurturing positive qualities of English language teachers at tertiary level education.