Qualities and Qualifications of EFL Professionals: What Do Intensive English Program Administrators Think?

Abstract

Recent educational research has underscored the criticality and centrality of teacher quality as a decisive and prominent influence on students' academic growth and success. Consequently, it becomes imperative to define, understand, and study the qualities and qualifications of effective teachers so as to inform preservice and in-service teacher education practices. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to investigate administrators' views and expectations on teacher recruitment processes and qualities of English language teaching (ELT) professionals who work as instructors in intensive English programs at institutions of higher education in Turkey and Northern Cyprus. The study focused on 19 institutions of higher education in Turkey and Northern Cyprus and utilized a qualitative approach for data collection (semistructured face-to-face interviews, Skype interviews, and written responses) and analysis consistent with the principles of grounded theory methodology. The thematic analysis of the data revealed views on language teacher recruitment processes and practices in higher education and highlighted the vitality of language proficiency, openness for professional development and self-reflection, character, and pedagogical knowledge for ideal applicants for teaching positions. Administrators' perceptions regarding teacher recruitment processes and qualities of ELT professionals offer insights that are useful for developing contextually sensitive preservice and in-service teaching practices.