Exploring Foreign Language Teachers Recruitment Criteria: A Qualitative Study

Authors

Seyyed Ali Ostovar-Namaghi, Shahrood University of TechnologyFollow
Seyyedeh Mobina Hosseini, University of Science and Technology of MazandaranFollow

Abstract

Although qualities of effective language teachers have been well specified and well researched, recruiters may not be aware of these qualities or, in the light of local constraints, they may ignore these qualities and apply their own criteria. To uncover the criteria which are actually applied in recruiting language teachers, this qualitative study purposively sampled 15 supervisors who were in charge of recruiting language teachers in private language schools of Sari, the capital city of Mazandran province and then theoretically sampled their perspectives and analyzed them in line with the principles and procedures of grounded theory. Iterative data collection and analysis revealed that the participants considered nine qualities including educational background, professional experience, management skills, mastery over language skills and subskills in recruiting language teachers. The findings have clear implications for both recruiters and language teachers.

Keywords

Recruitment Criteria, Language Teachers, Supervisors’ Perspectives, Qualitative Study

Author Bio(s)

Seyyed Ali Ostovar-Namaghi (PhD in TEFL) is currently a full-time associate professor of TEFL at the department of applied linguistics, Shahrood University of Technology (SUT), Iran. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses including language teaching methodology, research methodology, materials development, and EAP. His chief research interest is language teacher education, grounded theory, and theories of practice. He has published in a number of leading peer-reviewed journals. He is also a member the editorial board of some journals in applied linguistics and language teaching. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: Seyyed Ali Ostovar-Namaghi at, saostovarnamaghi@yahoo.com.

Seyyedeh Mobina Hosseini (MA in TEFL) is currently a part-time university lecturer at University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran, Behshahr, Iran. Her chief research interest is language teacher education. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed to: Seyyedeh Mobina Hosseini at, hosseini.mobina@yahoo.com.

Publication Date

4-7-2019

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3314

Recommended APA Citation

Ostovar-Namaghi, S., & Hosseini, S. (2019). Exploring Foreign Language Teachers Recruitment Criteria: A Qualitative Study. The Qualitative Report, 24(4), 731-753. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3314