What Makes a Great Language Teacher? Qualities of EFL and ESL Educators

This study explores essential qualities, competencies, and other factors that support or hinder teachers’ exceptional performance. Addressing the question "What makes a great ESL/EFL teacher?", this paper investigates the fundamental qualities and competencies every teacher should possess. While many other factors avail, few teachers realise the weight and depth of how much they could be motivated or demotivated from accomplishing their tasks well. Before jumping to conclusions and recommendations, this paper scrutinised some practices that many educators follow in the classroom, but they should not be practised. This study was carried out through an attentive review of available literature and observation of the researchers throughout their over two decade of teaching experience. Key findings are categorised into three, namely, teachers’ competencies, qualities, and sort of factors that particularly depend on teachers, secondly, factors that demotivate teachers to achieve excellence in their career; and finally, practices teachers should or should not continue in the classroom or while teaching