The Effects of Matching Iranian EFL Learners' and Teachers' Personality Types on the Student's Oral Skill Achievement

Abstract

A lot of research has been done on the importance of paying attention to individuals in the language classroom. Part of the individuality refers to learner's personality traces which describe why they learn differently. On the other hand, the teachers themselves have stable preferences in their teaching .This is, to a large expense,  related to their personality type which is also important when one is talking about the importance of their tailoring to different personalities in the classroom. Therefore, it may be beneficial to determine the teachers' personality type and the way they are matched to that of the students and the pattern of its effects on student's achievement in the classroom. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether there is any significant difference between oral achievement of Iranian EFL learners whose personality types are matched with that of their teacher, and oral achievement of Iranian EFL learners whose personality types are not matched with that of their teachers. The subjects were chosen from the students majoring in English language at Yazd University. To determine the personality types of the teachers and the students, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) .The result of data analysis shows that the similarity of learners' and teachers' personalities has a significant effect on their oral achievement. The findings of this study can be used in teacher education. The students and teachers should be aware of their own personality types and the way it can affect the students' learning in the classroom. They can be taught different activities suitable for each personality type as stated by some researchers.