People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Mohamed-Cherif Messaadia University
Faculty of Letters and Languages
Department of Foreign Languages
The Impact of The Teacher Pygmalion Effect on EFL learners’ oral performance
Case of: Third Year LMD Students of English at the University of Souk-Ahras.
Research Proposal Submitted to the Department of English Language in Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements of Master’s Degree in Didactics of EFL.
Submitted by:
Proposed by:
Ms.KELBOUZ Souhaila.
Ms.SAHKI Toufaha.
2022/2023
Table of Content
1. Literature Review ……………………………………...………………….........………..
2. Statement of the Problem………………………………………………...........………..
3. Research Questions…………………………………………….………..………………
4. Hypotheses…………………………………………………….........................................
5. Research Methodology………………………………..………………….…………..…
6. The Structure of Dissertation………………………………………………........…
7. Key Words………………………………………………………………………….…….
8.References……………………………………………………….…………………….....
3. Literature Review :
Babad , (1985) stated that the Pygmalion effect is a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy positive
in its nature and outlook that shows how teachers' expectations can influence students'
performance. The higher the expectations from the teacher, the more satisfying are the results
of the students and their overall performance too. “When we expect certain behaviours of
others, we are likely to act in ways that make the expected behavior more likely to occur."
(Sarrazin, 2003).Also, Rosenthal & Jacobson , (1968) had said that studies such as
Pygmalion in the Classroom have displaced an abondance amount of pressure on teachers and
away from students’ individual characteristics and intellect. Not only has this negatively
affected the teachers but also the results suggest that shortcomings of students’ achievements
could in part be caused by their teachers’ low expectations. (Murphy et al., 1999; Rosenthal &
Jacobson, 1968; Marburger, 1963). Authors have argued that experiments designed to
correlate low test scores with lack of teacher expectation tend to disservice teachers and
schools, encouraging federal policy makers to question teacher training and management of
schools (Murphy et al., 1999).Next, Jussim, (1989) wrote that the teacher expectancies have
the detrimental effect of biased evaluation of students’ performance .This multi-dimensional
issue arises in a two step process; first teachers form expectancies of the students early in the
year on the basis of a few interactions,then with these same lens of preconceived notions
about the students they assess their performance.(Brophy & Good, 1974).
A large body of research clearly articulates the importance of teachers in student achievement
in addition studies have also been conducted to illustrate the degree of students’
understanding of their teachers’ expectations of them affect achievement. Specifically
highlighting the notion that students hold expectancies of their own about teachers as well and
these perceptions can also affect student performance and level of motivation. (Jamieson,
Lydon, Stewart, & Zanna, 1987).
4.Statement of the problem:
.Byrne (1986:8) states that: “Oral communication is two-way process between speaker and
listener and involves the productive skill of speaking and the receptive skill of understanding
(or listening with understanding).” The nature of oral communication is the ability to
communicate expressing themselves through words while others may express themselves in
writing or through body language. Oral performance involves the negotiation of meaning
between two persons; it is always related to the context in which it occurs. Communication is
the main objective of learning a foreign language. One of the major responsibilities of any
teacher is to enable students to perform effectively through oral language. It is important for
students to learn to speak English well and for teachers to know how to teach speaking well.
Teachers must address this questions:how to increase the learners’ achievement especially
during the oral performance there are many factors that can affect EFL learner’s presentation
such psychological one like : motivation which is defined as a driving force behind human
action.It is the process that initiates ,guides, maintain goal –oriented behavoir and we have
also the teacher Pygmalion effect is one of the major contributors on the success or the failure
of the performance. The aim of the study is to clarify how can the teacher’s expectation
influence the learner’s oral performance.
5. Research questions:
This study is guided by the following questions:
-Does the teacher Pygmalion effect affect EFL learner’s orl performance?
.How can the teacher Pygmalion effect affect the EFL learner’s orl performance?
6.Hypotheses :
To answer the questions above ;the following hypothesis are suggested :
1-the teacher Pygmalion effect can influence on the EFL learner’s oral performance by
giving them a great self confidence in thier capacities.
2- the teacher Pygmalion effect can influence negatively on the EFL learner’s oral
performance when there is no balance between the teacher expectation and the learner’s
preparation.
7.Research methodology
a) Research design
This study will use exploratory sequential mixed method as an approach to combining
qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in a sequence of phases (two-phase
design). In the first phase, the researcher will collect qualitative data and then analyze the data, the
results of which direct the next, quantitative phase, which will be a questionnaire and an
experiment as form of quantitative data collection.
b) Population and sampling
In this study, the population consists of EFL third year bachelor classes at the
University of Mohamed Cherif Messaadia at Souk-Ahras, in the academic year 20222023.. The students that make the sample represent 40 students. The main reasons for
choosing third year bachelor EFL learners are: because oral academic comprehension is
a fundamental module, so we will have enough time to conduct the questionnaire and the
interview . Also, the researcher has more accesses to that specific level and the population
number is more manageable, not too large and not too small, and the sample will fairly
represent the entire population.
c) Data collection tools

Questionnaire: The questionnaire will be in two forms open-ended and closedended. Open-ended questions allow the respondents to add explanations, whereas
closed-ended questions involve the respondents to select one or more choices that
are provided in the questionnaire.

Interview: the interview will be composed of selective questions that can highlight
the teachers point of views thier previous knowledge about the topic ;the
application of the Pygmalion effect .
d) Data analysis and presentation
a) Data analysis
In this study both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to analyze the data
that will be collected from the field. The analysis process begins by examining a myriad
amount of information and organizing it into codes, themes, and categories. This is followed
by an identification of the connections, relationships, and patterns in the data, and pulling
them together into a significant whole that describes and explains the issue at the heart of the
investigation.
b) Data presentation
In this study the researcher will present the data by using qualitative approach which will
present the data related to description form. The researcher also will present the data by
quantitative approach through using graphs and tables. This method will enable the researcher
to summarize the results of the investigation of the impact of the teacher pygmalion effect on
EFL learners’ oral performance
e) Ethical issues
Ensuring that ethical standards are followed lies at the heart of any good research. In this
sense, the researcher will make sure that the rights of all participants in this work will be
protected. Accordingly, before issuing questionnaires, the researcher will obtain permission to
carry out this investigation from the Department of Foreign Languages. Besides, participants
will be informed about the purpose of the study and they will also be provided with full
explanation about the content of the questionnaire and the interview and their role in this
research. Very importantly, and to maintain the privacy and anonymity of participants, they
will not be asked to mention their names when answering the questionnaire.
f) Structure of the dissertation
The current dissertation will be consisted of a general introduction, three chapters, and a
general conclusion.
The first chapter will provide an overview about oral performance including various
definitions, types of oral performance ,and features of effective oral performance and
approaches to teaching it , and finally problems and challenges that may face learners while
performing orally.
The second chapter will provide information about cooperative language the teacher
Pygmalion effect including its definitions, its theories, principles,and ways to be applied in
the classroom in relation to oral performance .
The third chapter will be about field investigation and data analysis. It will introduce the
population/sample chosen and why it was chosen, it will describe the data collection tools; the
questionnaire and interview , and the aim behind each one. Moreover, It will provide data
discussions and presentation i.e. interpretation and analysis of the findings. The data will be
presented both qualitatively and quantitatively. This method will enable the researcher to summarize
the results of the investigation of the impact of the teacher pygmalion effect on EFL learners’ oral
performance .
2 .Key words:
Pygmalion Effect, Self-fulfilling prophecy, Reflexive practice,
Classroom teaching, Teacher Expectation
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