Personal Practical Knowledge and Effective Teaching: A Study of Turkish Teachers of English as a Foreign Language

The main aim of this study was to investigate English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ personal practical knowledge concerning their perceptions of effective teaching. The qualitative descriptive study employed semi-structured interviews and observations to investigate the impact of personal practical knowledge on the perceptions of teaching effectiveness among English as a foreign language teachers in Turkey. Seven English as a foreign language teachers currently teaching in three public education institutions participated in the study. Inductive content analysis was used to analyse the findings, which revealed that the characteristics of effective teaching, as practised by teachers in their settings, included classroom dynamics, students’ motivation, teacher engagement, assessment and engagement strategies in education, and an empowering environment for active learning.