Teacher interpersonal behaviors: Jordanian EFL learners’ expectations and perceived impacts on academic engagement

The paper examined the expectations of the EFL university students in Jordan towards interpersonal behavior of their teachers and the perceived effects of positive interpersonal behavior of their teachers on their academic behaviors. Based on the theoretical frame of positive psychology and social constructivism, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to gather the experiences and perceptions of students on their interactions with teachers in a rather subtle manner. The researchers used 30 participants who were EFL majors in one of the universities in Jordan. Interpretation of interview data through thematic analysis showed that the teacher behaviors that are described as confirmation, credibility, care, clarity, and closeness are viewed as influencing the academic engagement of students significantly. Precisely, the findings have shown that students are motivated and engaged more in their educational activities when teachers are empathetic, give constructive criticism, and create a conducive classroom atmosphere. There is also an indication that the good teacher -students’ relationship leads to a feeling of belonging and intellectual stimulation among the students. This study contributes new evidence from an underexamined Arabic-speaking EFL context and clarifies how specific teacher interpersonal behaviors distinctly support behavioral, cognitive, and emotional engagement. The findings demonstrate a need to adopt positive teacher-students’ relations in order to enhance improved academic results. The implications of the study indicate that education practices and policies must focus on teacher behavior development that can ensure student engagement and well-being which may result in favorable academic performance and general satisfaction among students.