ABSTRACT
Quality education begins with teachers. As such, a primary concern among English language teachers today is how to be more effective in the ever-changing world of education. As English language and content area practitioners face the pressures of an increased workload, institutional accountability, and continual change in curricula and assessment, the need for effective teachers has never been more important. This chapter provides a review of the research about what constitutes an “effective teacher” in general education as well as in EF/SL. The major lists of characteristics found in the field of TESOL are examined. Based on this review, a framework of 10 characteristics of highly effective TESOL teachers is presented. These elements include affective and personality factors, attitude toward the profession, verbal ability, professional and content knowledge, instructional effectiveness, teaching experience, and intercultural competence.
