Results of Global Teacher Effectiveness Survey released for the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar

Pearson has announced the results of a global teacher effectiveness survey conducted across 23 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Survey participants, which included students, teachers, parents, and school administrators were asked, “what do you think are the most important qualities of an effective teacher?”.

Survey respondents did not focus on how much a teacher knew or what kind of teaching methods he or she used, but rather on the teacher’s disposition. The most common response in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as in the other countries surveyed was that it is relationships between teachers and students that matter most.

Across all participating countries the ability of the teacher to develop trusting, compassionate relationships with students was valued most. This is true regardless of the respondent’s gender, public or private school affiliation, or whether he or she was thinking of a primary or secondary teacher. The next most valued quality was a patient, caring, and kind personality. Responses show that stakeholders most strongly value a teacher’s ability to connect with students and the personality characteristics that facilitate those connections.

The publication of the research comes at a critical time, as governments and education stakeholders in the countries of the GCC look to enhancing teacher effectiveness as a way of improving overall education standards.

Marketing Director for Pearson in the Middle East, Sue Mainey, believes that the research will be of great assistance to the region as the value of great teachers becomes increasingly recognised. She says:

“The evidence is clear – the single most important determinant of a learner’s school-based success is the effectiveness of their teacher. We therefore need to look at ways we can make teachers more effective, and this newly released research provides unique insights into what makes an effective educator. We can start to build the findings of this research into policies and programmes in this region, ensuring that this survey has a meaningful impact on promoting outcomes for teachers, and learners”.

The top 10 most important qualities of teachers identified in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are as follows.

The top 10 most important qualities of teachers in the UAE were identified as:

1. Ability to Develop Trusting, Productive Relationships
2. Subject Matter Knowledge
3. Patient, Caring, Kind Personality
4. Teaching Skills/Pedagogical Practices
5. Professionalism
6. Engaging Students in Learning
7. Ability to Make Ideas and Content Clear
8. Knowledge of Learners
9. Dedication to Teaching
10. Emphasis on Developing Students’ Non-Cognitive Skills

The top 10 most important qualities of teachers in Saudi Arabia were identified as:

1. Ability to develop trusting, compassionate relationships with students
2. Ability to engage students in learning
3. Subject matter knowledge
4. Teaching skills
5. Patient, caring, kind personality
6. Professionalism
7. Ability to make ideas and content clear
8. Knowledge of learners
9. Dedication to teaching
10. Intelligence

The top 10 most important qualities of teachers in Qatar were identified as:

1. Ability to Develop Trusting, Productive Relationships
2. Subject Matter Knowledge
3. Ability to Engage Students in Learning
4. Teaching Skills/Pedagogical Practices
5. Patient, Caring, Kind Personality
6. Professionalism
7. Ability to Make Ideas and Content Clear
8. Knowledge of Learners
9. Dedication to Teaching
10. Intelligence