TESL Trainee Practitioners’ Self Perception of their Personality Traits and Verbal Communication Skills

Abdul Rashid Abdul Sitra,Ain Nadzimah Abdullah

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.6n.6p.9

Abstract

The teaching and learning of English as a second language involve many different skills. This study investigates the relationship between Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) trainee practitioners’ (TPs) personality traits and their verbal communication skills. The personality traits investigated are the Big Five, while the verbal communication skills investigated include interpersonal skills, verbal-linguistic skills, motivation, altruism, and self-regulation. This study involved 277 TESL TPs from four different teacher training institutes in Malaysia. This quantitative study used questionnaires to investigate both the variables. The findings show that out of the Big Five personality traits, only openness showed positive relationship to verbal communication. This trait deserves greater attention if students are to maximise the use of effective communication skills. This study profiles personality traits to examine the relationship of each trait in relation to communication skills. The findings of this study would be significant for the Higher Education Ministry of Malaysia and education regulators, apart from the teaching community.

Highlights

Today, good English communication skills are of paramount importance in a globalised world
Sim (2016) reported that a survey by an online employment agency JobStreet.com found that lack of proficiency in the English language, poor communication skills and poor personality traits were among the top five reasons for graduates’ failure to find employment in Malaysia
The other personality traits were not significantly associated with the trainee practitioners’ (TPs)’ verbal communication skills

Summary

Introduction

Good English communication skills are of paramount importance in a globalised world. ESL teachers in Malaysia should have the relevant proficiency and skills to teach the English language effectively in schools and colleges Malaysian ESL teachers need to improve their proficiency and teaching skills so that the teaching and learning of English in schools and colleges can be improved. Communication skills are still an issue as teachers are expected to have good communication skills in order to be effective educators. They should have the appropriate personality traits that befit the profession. Given the importance of these skills and traits, this study attempts to investigate the connection between the two sets of broad variables to understand the related operational phenomenon

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion