Developing and Validating a Multicultural Model for Iranian High School English Language Teachers’ Effectiveness

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Shahram Naghdiani ¹ , Neda Fatehi Rad ² , Parviz Maftoon ³

1 -
2 -
3 -

Received: 2025-03-11 Accepted : 2025-06-05 Published : 2025-09-13

Keywords: Effective teacher, multicultural education, multiculturalism, teacher effectiveness,

Abstract :

This study aimed to develop and validate a multicultural model for Iranian high school English language teachers’ effectiveness.  To this end, a grounded theory design was used. The participants consisted of 51 (28 males and 23 females) Iranian English teachers who were selected through available sampling. For the purpose of data collection, a semi-structured interview was used. To analyze the data, the interview data and the content of the relevant files collected through reviewing the literature were exposed to manual thematic analysis through open, axial and selective coding. As revealed by the results, the following perceptions were extracted concerning pluralistic teacher effectiveness: Having Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication with Learners, Recognizing Differences among Students’ Learning Strategies, Having Preliminary Knowledge of Different Subjects, etc. Moreover, regarding the components of multicultural teacher effectiveness as reflected in the existing literature, the following themes were identified: Being Friendly with all Students, Providing all Students with Comments, Making Students Creative, etc. Additionally, a multicultural model for Iranian high school English language teachers’ effectiveness was developed which consisted of three main categories and some sub-categories. The findings have some implications for different groups of stakeholders, including EFL teachers, teacher educators, and teacher education material developers.

References:

Aho, E., Haverinen, H. L., Juuso, H., Laukka, S. J., & Sutinen, A. (2010). Teachers’ principles of decision-making and classroom management: a case study and a new observation method. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 9, 395-402. DOI：https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.56.2.21
Amiri Shayesteh, L., & Baleghizadeh, S. (2022). Construction and validation of Iranian EFL teachers’ perceptions of professional development questionnaire. Language Related Research, 14(1), 113-143. https://doi.org/10.29252/LRR.14.1.5
Banks, J. A., & Banks, C. A. M. (Eds.). (2019). Multicultural education: Issues and perspectives. John Wiley & Sons.
Borghetti, C., & Qin, X. (2022). Resources for intercultural learning in a non-essentialist perspective: an investigation of student and teacher perceptions in Chinese universities. Language and Intercultural Communication, 22(5), 599-614. https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2022.2105344
Bullock. M. (2015). What makes a good teacher? Exploring student and teacher beliefs on good Teaching, Rising Tide, 7, 1-27.
Byram, M., Golubeva, I., & Porto, M. (2022). Internationalism, democracy, political education. In C. Lütge, T. Merse, & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education (pp. 128–150). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003183839-9
Choi, S., & Lee, S. W. (2020). Enhancing teacher self-efficacy in multicultural classrooms and school climate: The role of professional development in multicultural education in the United States and South Korea. Aera Open, 6(4), Article 2332858420973574. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420973574
Coşgun, G.E., & Savaş, P. (2023). Professional identity development of English teachers: A data-driven model. Review of Education, 11(1), 123-136. 10.1002/rev3.3394
Creswell, J. W. (2015). A concise introduction to mixed methods research. Sage.
Crowder, G. (2013). Theories of multiculturalism: An introduction. Wiley.
Demiröz H., & Yeşilyurt, S. (2015). Effective foreign language teaching: Perceptions of prospective English language teachers. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 3(11), 862-870.
Deveaux, M. (2000). Cultural pluralism and dilemmas of justice. Cornell University Press. https://doi.org/10.7591/9781501723759
Diem, C. D., & Abdullah, U. (2020). Promoting multiculturalism: Teachers’ English proficiency and multicultural education in Indonesia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 10(1), 46-58. https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v10i1.24983
Dimova-Cookson, M. (2021). The problem of value pluralism. Isaiah Berlin and beyond. In G. Crowder (Ed.), Contemporary Political Theory. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41296-021-00504-x
Fatehi Rad, N., & Jalali, V. (2021). ZPD theory and scaffolding teaching strategy: Iranian EFL learners' views and reading achievement of short stories as a way of literature incorporation within learning procedure. Critical Literary Studies, 3(1), 181-209. 10.34785/J014.2021.676
Ghavamnia, M. (2020). Iranian EFL teachers' beliefs and perspectives on incorporating culture in EFL classes. Intercultural Education, 31(3), 314-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2020.1733862
Heimler, D.A. (2020). Through the eyes of educators: Definitions and evaluations of teacher effectiveness. B.A Thesis. Wesleyan University.
Jenkins, J., Baker, W., & Dewey, M. (Eds.). (2017). The Routledge handbook of English as a lingua franca (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315717173
Kington, A., Maulana, R., & Ko, J. (2023). Effective teaching: Measurements, antecedents, correlates, characteristics, and links with outcomes. Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-8325-3327-7
Kirkpatrick, A., & Schaller-Schwaner, I. (2022). English as a lingua franca. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of Practical Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp.97–113). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106609-8
Lidz, V. M. (2021). The theory of action and the analysis of culture. In The Routledge International Handbook of Talcott Parsons Studies (1st Edition, pp. 48–68). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429321139-5
Meihami, H. (2023). Culturally responsive teaching in TEFL programs: Exploring EFL teachers’ experiences. English Teaching & Learning, 47(1), 119-144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-022-00108-7
Moeinvaziri M, Afraz S, & Fahandezh F. (2020). Toward designing a model of professional skills for Iranian EFL teachers. Iranian Evolutionary and Educational Psychology, 3 (4), 497-516. https://doi.org/10.52547/ieepj.3.4.497
Motamed, H. R., Yarmohammadian, M. H., & Yusefy, A. R. (2013). Designing a pluralistic curriculum model for the Iranian education system. Academia Arena, 5(9), 31-39.
Muñiz-Fraticelli, V. M. (2014). The structure of pluralism. Oxford University Press.
Parker, J. L. (2019). Multicultural education as a framework for educating English language learners in the United States. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Higher Education, 4(1), 22-35. https://doi.org/10.32674/jimphe.v4i1.1404
Ramos-Rodríguez, E., Fernández-Ahumada, E., & Morales-Soto, A. (2021). Effective teacher professional development programs. A case study focusing on the development of mathematical modeling skills. Education Sciences, 12(1), 2-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12010002
Reynolds, A. J., Mondi, C. F., & Giovanelli, A. (2021). Fostering socio-emotional learning through early childhood intervention. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 15(1), 1-43.10.1186/s40723-021-00084-8
Rohmat, R., Sutiyono, A., Hani, T., & Priyanto, A. (2023). Multicultural education for strengthening harmony in diversity. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences,18 (1) 43-54. https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v18i1.8022
Salimi, E. A., & Rad, M. R. (2024). Nurturing multiculturalism in Iranian EFL teacher education: An in-depth scrutiny of experts’ and teachers’ perceptions. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 9(1), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-023-00231-3
Schachner, M. K. (2019). From equality and inclusion to cultural pluralism–Evolution and effects of cultural diversity perspectives in schools. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 16(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2017.1326378
Sezer, K., Hasan, A., & Fezile, O. (2019). Effects of the gamification-supported flipped-classroom model on the attitudes and opinions regarding game-coding education. iJET, 13(1), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v13i01.7634
Shojaei, R., Bagheri, M. S., & Rassaei, E. (2022). Reconsidering the global criteria of teacher effectiveness in the light of learners' perceptions and experts' observations. International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research, 10(40), 153-169. https://civilica.com/doc/1358766
Zohrabi, Kh., Razmjoo, S.A., & Ahmadi, A.R. (2019). Developing and validating a pluralistic curriculum (PC) model for English teaching in Iranian high schools. Journal of Modern Research in English Language Studies, 6(1),31-49. https://civilica.com/doc/1184083