Students’ Voice Toward Good English Teachers' Characteristics at Secondary Schools in Indonesia

Abstract

This research aims at finding out the secondary school students’ voices towards good English teachers’ characteristics and the most dominant good teachers’ characteristics preferred by the students. This research employed descriptive method supported by descriptive statistics. There were thirty-two students participated in this research who were in the second year in 2012. The instrument used in this research was the checklist in which the students were asked to choose the descriptions which consisted of three choices; disagree, agree, and disagree. The research reports illustrate that students' voices toward good English teachers' characteristics in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) at a secondary school in Indonesia are ranging from explaining lesson objective clearly to provide jokes while teaching. The most dominant good teachers' characteristics preferred by the secondary school students were "gives clear explanation" in which there were 56.25% students gave "strongly agree" answer. There were also "56.25% students gave "strongly agree" answer to "the teacher should provide jokes or funny stories in the classroom setting." There were 65.62% students gave "agree" answer to "the teacher should use a variety of materials." There were 65.62% students gave "agree" answer to "the teacher should be relaxed and he should create a pleasant atmosphere." Well prepared is also important in the classroom, where there were 62.5% students gave "agree" answer to this statement. There were 43.75% students gave "disagree" answer to “gives follow up/feedback.” Even though, the “disagree” choice to this statement is highest than other choices in the “disagree” choice but the “agree” and “strongly agree” choice have higher score, because the accumulation of the total score is 56.25%. This means that the teachers need to give feedback to students’ works in the classroom. Keywords: students’ voice, teachers’ good characteristics, EFL, secondary school