Defining the Good Language Teacher: Perspectives of English Pre-service Teachers in Hungary

Several forms and definitions of a good language teacher exist in language pedagogy and foreign language teaching literature, ranging in scope, formulation, approach, and level of detail. Studying English teacher trainees’ ideas about what constitutes a good language teacher is important for learning about the beliefs and expectations that they bring to their study programmes and classrooms. This study examines Hungarian fifth- and sixth-year English pre-service teachers’ perceptions of the “good language teacher”. Students wrote short reflective essays on what makes an effective language teacher. The results indicate that pre-service teachers value a combination of positive personal traits, language competence, and pedagogical skills. They also emphasize creating supportive classroom environments, motivating students, addressing individual needs, and good lesson preparation. The findings can help teacher trainers understand how trainees’ language learning experiences influence their teaching philosophies and identify gaps in teacher preparation.