Language Teachers’ Preferred and Practiced Teaching Styles: Evidence from Iraqi High School EFL Context

In an attempt to explore the status-quo of the teaching styles appealed and adopted by Iraqi EFL teachers, the researchers in the current study selected ۱۲۰ English language teachers from the context of Iraqi high schools. To gather the data, the researchers made use of Grasha-Riechmann’s (۱۹۹۶) Teaching Styles Questionnaire. The analysis of data mainly through quantitative measures and frequency analysis revealed a clear discrepancy between the teachers’ preferences and practices of teaching styles. More specifically, while the most desired teaching style among the teachers was expert type, and the least preferred one was facilitator type, in real practice of teaching, they made a greater use of personal model style. Furthermore, expert style which was the most favored type was used less frequently than the other styles. However, a go-togetherness was witnessed in the obtained data with regard to facilitator style of teaching which ranked the least based on the teachers’ practices in a manner identical to what was found concerning their preferences. The study findings provide fruitful implications for language teachers in the context of Iraqi high schools, particularly as regards their increased familiarity with the practical teaching styles and their attempts targeted at bridging the gap between their style preferences and practices.

کلیدواژه ها:

high schools ، Iraqi EFL teachers ، practiced teaching styles ، preferred teaching styles