Teacher’s Authority: A Barrier for Language Learners’ ‎Engagement in Classroom Interaction

The available literature implies the notion that urging L2 learners to produce language can pave the way for more efficient learning (Ellis, 2015). However, based on observational evidence, it is clear crystal that there exist lots of uncertainty about the correctness of the language they produce and therefore, hesitations on the part of learners to engage in interactive tasks. This study, therefore, aimed to tap into the underlying reasons for these fluctuations from EFL learners’ perspectives. To get these objectifying aims, five male and female elementary EFL learners aging 18- 37 were sampled purposefully through extreme case sampling. Semi-structured interviews and stimulated recall were employed to collect data. Participants were asked open-ended questions about the reasons behind their hesitation in interactive participation. Analyzing data using theme analysis uncovered three major themes including: teacher’s authority, low proficiency and low self-esteem, with teacher’s authority as the major reason. Considering the teacher as the absolute knower of knowledge and provider of the correct answer in the classroom and being afraid of making mistakes hampered the learners from active participation. Training independent thinking skills was suggested to be a ponderable solution to this problem. According to Nussbaum (2010), Contemporary pedagogies should stimulate learners to think and argue for themselves, rather than defer to tradition and authority. Learners should be encouraged to express themselves according to their own ideas instead of requiring them to produce the same, correct answer accepted by the teacher.