Contexto remoto: Tecnología y oferta televisiva local

It is important to have a good relationship between a teacher and students. Classroom interaction is made easier by having a good teacher-student interpersonal relationship (TSIR) (R. Maulana, Opdenakker, Den Brok, & Bosker, 2012). This encourages students to be more motivated inside the classroom learning environment. It also means that students have lower motivation if their interpersonal relationships with their teachers are not strong.

Moreover, teachers’ interpersonal behaviour can influence students’ motivation inside the classroom (den Brok et al., 2005). Teachers’ positive behaviour here is related to being helpful, friendly and understanding. On the other hand, teachers’ negative behaviour might be related to other domains such as strictness and dissatisfaction. This means that students can be more motivated by teachers’ interpersonal behaviour related to proximity than teachers’ influence.

2.7.1 Factors Influencing Teacher-Student Interpersonal Relationship

Teacher-student interpersonal relationship depends on many factors. The context in which this is investigated is one of the most important factors. For example, the context of Western countries may differ from that of Asian countries. Another factor concerns the

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interpersonal relationship of students with their teachers. Students, for example, could be at school or university level.

In addition, Wubbels ( 1985) explains that teachers could be aggressive or tolerant in a misbehaving classroom. Moreover, novice teachers may not have enough experience to control the classroom such as involving misbehaving students in a task. If the teachers suddenly become angry after a long time of silence, the students will consider such behaviour as illogical, which may create a negative atmosphere inside the classroom. However, more experienced teachers have greater leadership skills, which can control misbehaving students. This provides further opportunity to be more helpful and friendly with the students in the classroom. Furthermore, the students consider as good teachers those with more leadership skills, who are helpful and friendly.

Moreover, Wubbels ( 1985) also consider teachers’ age as an important factor to determine teacher-student relationship in the classroom. For example, older, more experienced teachers can be less friendly and understanding than younger teachers. This is because the younger teachers are affected by school rules and older teachers, which makes them more authoritarian with their students. In addition, tolerant teachers take care of the students in the classroom and are ready to explain things to them more than once. Although the class may still be noisy with a tolerant teacher, he or she may be considered as friendly for being more interested in the subject matter than the misbehaviour. This will also make the students feel regret about their misbehaviour in the classroom with a tolerant than an aggressive teacher.

2.7.2 Elements of Teacher-Student Interpersonal Relationship

Teacher-student interpersonal relationships may include many elements, such as teacher- student closeness, students’ participation, classroom control and belonging. The extent to which the teacher is engaged in the classroom is also considered an important factor that affects teacher-student interpersonal relationships. All these components of teacher- student interpersonal relationship increase students’ motivation and create a positive attitude towards the course, which will increase academic achievements.

According to Al-Mahrooqi et al.(2016), teachers should not be too formal in the classroom, and show enthusiasm to their students, so that this will create a comfortable atmosphere. For example, teachers should demonstrate to their students that they care

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about them in the classroom. Al-Mahrooqi et al.(2016) also note that students should consider their teacher as a role model. In this respect, the teacher’s personal behaviour helps to engage students in the classroom. Dörnyei & Malderez (1997) also suggest that students do not prefer strict teachers, but democratic teachers who share decision-making with them. This reduces students’ anxiety in the classroom and enhances the learning- teaching process for both teachers and students, who, as a result, gain more language knowledge.

Furthermore, Al-Mahrooqi et al. ( 2016) add that teachers should show students that they care about them by acknowledging their efforts and celebrating their success, which will stimulate self-belief. Furthermore, according to Zhao( 2012), teachers should give their students reasonable tasks, so that the students can sustain achievement and success. Teachers should also help students to identify their academic progress by comparing their achievements with their level in the past, instead of comparing themselves with other students. In addition, teachers should make students aware that they care about them by developing a relationship of trust and respect. Praising students with positive feedback also helps to promote progress.

Furthermore, Stevick ( 1980) and Williams & Burden (1997), quoted in Cutrone ( 2009) argue that teachers should demonstrate interest in students’ personal lives by being informal with them and making the classroom environment friendlier. This show the students that the teacher wishes to take care of them. The teachers can also encourage the students to speak about themselves without constantly correcting them, and placing them under stress because of many interruptions. The students may ask their teachers for corrections, while they do not like to see oral or written corrections. Furthermore, the teachers should first gain the trust of their students and then evaluate their progress.

2.7.3 Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour (MITB)

The Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour (MITB) is a good theoretical framework to explain teacher-student interpersonal relationships (Wubbels & Brekelmans, 2005). This model consists of two main components, which are influence and proximity. Influence is more related to the teacher’s control and authority, while proximity is more about being a friendly teacher.

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Figure 2.2 Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour, Cited from (Wubbels & Brekelmans, 2005, p. 5).

Each of the two components, influence and proximity, has two opposite values, which are dominance vs. submission and cooperation vs. opposition. The Model of Interpersonal Teacher Behaviour consists of eight types, which are “(1) Leadership (DC), (2) Helpful/ Friendly (CD), (3) Understanding (CS), (4) Student Freedom (SC), (5) Uncertain (SO), (6) Dissatisfied (OS), (7) Admonishing (OD), and Strict (DO)” (Maulana, 2013, p. 461).

These values can be measured using the Questionnaire on Teacher Interaction (QTI), which was first used in the Netherlands with 77 items; another American version was developed in 1988 with 64 items. It was translated into many languages such as

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English, French, German, Russian, Slovenian, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Singapore Chinese and Indonesian. This research uses two sections of the QTI, which are Helpful/Friendly (CD) and Understanding (CS), following the

proximity dimension.