"I WANTED TO SPEAK MORE": STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER ENTHUSIASM IN THE EFL CLASSROOM
Keywords:
teacher enthusiasm, student perceptions, affective presence, action research, EFL, student voiceAbstract
While previous research has established that teacher enthusiasm increases measurable student outcomes such as talking time and task completion, less is known about how students themselves experience and describe enthusiastic teaching. This action research study explores student perceptions of teacher enthusiasm in a secondary EFL classroom in Tashkent. Following a six week intervention comparing high enthusiasm and neutral enthusiasm conditions, 20 students completed a questionnaire addressing teacher behaviors, emotional responses, perceived fluency, and task engagement. Findings indicate that students consistently notice vocal variety, physical movement, and positive facial expressions. They report feeling more interested, less anxious, and more willing to speak when the teacher is energetic. The paper concludes that student voices provide valuable validation for reconceptualizing teacher enthusiasm as a core professional competency.
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