محرک های رفتار نادرست در کلاس زبان انگلیسی از دیدگاه معلمان و زبان آموزان ایرانی

1. Introduction

In EFL classes and the teaching process, various challenges arise, including student behavior in the EFL classroom. This includes misbehavior and disruptive actions that can affect both students' and teachers' ability to follow their lesson plans. As Nasution et al. (2023) reported, investigating the impact of disruptive behavior in junior high school classrooms on teaching and learning, particularly for educators, can help teachers learn about and recognize these behaviors to improve their effectiveness in managing student disruptions. Because of changing perspectives and showing them in the EFL class in contrast with the past, their viewpoint may be shifted these days, so it is significant to know about their causes and how to decrease them in the classroom. Through extensive research, articles, and studies on this topic from diverse perspectives and different variables, we can understand and identify these issues to find solutions and minimize them as much as possible. Although facing misbehavior poses challenges in class, it is important to identify and address these behaviors. In Iranian EFL classrooms, we encounter various student behaviors and teacher reactions, which can have positive or negative effects on classroom management and the learning process. Some of these behaviors are recognized as misbehavior from both groups' perspectives, but others are not identified as behaviors that can disrupt classroom management. Additionally, the use of various methods and technological advancements in the classroom makes the environment more diverse, as Johnson et al. (2018) reported that misbehavior is a constant in the learning process in studies about classroom misbehavior, or in Aydin (2022), studies mentioned that students’ misbehavior happened to get the classroom’s attention. Like other researchers, Yang and Moskovsky (2021) remarked that misbehavior affected classroom teaching and learning. Therefore, Iranian EFL students and teachers have different viewpoints on accepting problematic behaviors as misbehavior.

This behavior has many potential implications, and these reasons can make the management of the classroom harder. Students are also affected primarily by many factors, including knowledge, the subject of study for math, English, and science, their age, culture, and the clear knowledge of the teacher’s teaching methods (Gokalp et al., 2022). Often, misbehaviors can be explained along with what they cause, why, and how teachers and students work to rectify them. It means they can solve problems faster and promote a more productive learning environment. If students think the teacher isn't noticing them, they might stop paying attention to the teacher and forget what they need to learn. Instead, they might concentrate on other things that aren't related to the lesson.

Despite many studies on misbehavior and classroom management, changes in different methods for EFL classrooms over many years, and technological advancements over the years, misbehavior persists, and students and teachers can face various challenges that are necessary to control to have a better class and manage it, achieve curricular goals, and learn usefully. So, teachers’ and students’ perspectives about the dynamics of this misbehavior can help to find their causes and improve teachers' and students' relationships to have better teaching and learning environments, specifically in an EFL classroom where a new language is being learned, and some students learn it under parental pressure. Misbehavior in the EFL Classroom is a subject that we can see in many studies, but researchers want to search for the Dynamics of Misbehavior in Iranian EFL classrooms that show students’ and teachers’ perspectives. These behaviors change over the years; therefore, it's important to know which actions are introduced as misbehavior by Iranian EFL learners and teachers and find useful ways to control and manage them to have better learning. 

2. Literature Review

In various studies, researchers find different definitions of misbehavior. In diverse studies, many words like misconduct, wrongdoing, mischief, and bad treatment are used to define problematic behavior in the classroom that disrupts the teaching setting. The word “misbehavior” is, notwithstanding, more of a title for such negative behavior — it is used in multiple situations that also involve what can be seen to be something more problematic than you might expect. Like Charles (2014) says, “Bad behavior in school is when someone breaks the class rules, treats others badly, or doesn't follow the laws or social rules of the society.” Misbehavior means an individual who performs unpredictably for others to understand. Talking without asking people what to say is wrong, not having a class party, and acting out of politeness. So, many people (teachers, students) differ on what constitutes bad behavior, and it can affect how they act about it. Hence, in the following sections, theories related to this topic and empirical studies over many years will be presented.

2.1. Theoretical Background

The origin of misbehavior in EFL classrooms may be associated with a myriad of theoretical frameworks and pedagogical approaches in the domain of English instruction and acquisition, like behavioral theory, sociocultural theory, and choice theory.

 Behavioral theory is a branch of psychology that focuses on how people learn through their interactions with the environment and is one of the theories that can be related to this topic. In EFL classrooms, participants who participate in class spend time on the teaching and learning process; in addition, they may face various challenges because different teachers and students are affected by various cultures and social features. So, sociolinguistics enables us to understand why students might misbehave in an English as a foreign language classroom.

Vygotsky's (1978) theory studied the context of behavior or social situation in which the action occurred. The basic hypothesis in Vygotsky's theory is the idea that psychological structures do not exist in the individual's mind; They are trained as a result of interaction with the social context. An essential notion within the sociocultural theory framework is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Whereas the sociocultural hypothesis provides a system for understanding dialect learning, it also suggests that misbehavior may reflect more profound issues related to social integration and social interaction, requiring a nuanced approach to classroom administration. In addition, according to Self-Determination Theory by Deci and Ryan (1977), students might act out when the classroom doesn't provide them with a sense of control, confidence, and connection with others. Therefore, in the case of teachers, the perception and handling of misbehavior is a primary consideration because, as a teacher, supportive measures can lower frustration and make students active. Conversely, Glasser (1999) proposed the choice theory, which points out that misbehavior occurs when children meet their basic psychological needs (survival, love/belonging, strength, freedom, and joy). The basic concept of the choice theory related to all participants is that the only changes that anyone can create are changes in themselves. This confirms the general observation that many efforts to persuade others. Similarly, Charles (2014) said misbehavior at school is behavior that violates school rules, inciting disbelief or indifferent actions. Classroom misbehavior usually lies with disruptive and inappropriate behavior that alters how the room order, instruction, and learning experience are affecting one another in the classroom atmosphere. Making changes is limited by the reception of persuasive goals for their arguments (Lyngstad, 2022).  

The causes of learners’ misbehavior in EFL classrooms are complicated and contain different parts, and are an interplay between individual personality and social and cultural factors that form behaviors. Sun (2014) believes that the causes of misbehavior are not one-dimensional, so it is related to a troubled child and the immediate trouble system. 

In different studies, various types of misbehavior have been studied. Some of them are permanent, but sometimes we face some behavior that happens in particular situations. Leonard et al. (2024) found that disturbing behaviors are maintained by students who are tardy to school, have unprecedented participation in classes, engage in battles with others inside and outside the school, use abusive words against each other, refuse to do homework given by teachers, do not participate in class activities, and operate phones during class hours. Therefore, the use of the principles of social-cultural theory in class helps learners achieve certain communication goals. The hypothesis is that such a framework helps learners take on their study, adjust their learning, and feel self-assessment (Behroozizad et al., 2014).

2.2. Empirical Studies

In the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), many studies contain various factors related to this area. So, in international and national studies, variables and related topics about misbehavior are studied. As in many studies around the world, for instance, Martin (2010), who believed behavior management (BM) is similar to, but different from. Discipline involves pre-planned efforts aimed at preventing issues before they occur. Misbehavior as well as the teacher's response to it. Specifically, this Facet encompasses setting up rules, creating a reward system, and. providing opportunities for student input. Although, like Abarawi (2017) and Gokalp (2021) studies. Also, Jeya et al. (2021) claimed that it was clear that students' bad behavior was the main issue in the English language classroom. Two key themes were found: low interest and poor discipline. We cannot have the same rules and management to control all misbehavior that happens in all EFL classrooms, because their contexts are different. Furthermore, according to Martin (2010), when you consider building teacher control, it is important to realize that behavioral style and educational management are probably similar to the effectiveness of teachers in that they are not a static quality. They will be quite contextual, depending on the combination of people and the environment. 

2.3. Research gaps and Current study

Likewise, Jeya et al. (2021) noted that the English language classes taught by this teacher faced challenges such as a lack of interest in learning English, insufficient discipline, and low levels of assertiveness, which were grouped into three main themes:  Lack of Interest, lack of discipline, and the Importance of assertiveness, as they were related to students' misbehavior. Leonard et al. (2024) also stated a variety of misbehaviors that happen during EFL classrooms, as mentioned by Hoang Tran et al. (2024), who mentioned the use of cellphones as one of the misbehaviors in teachers' perception. In addition, Yung et al. (2021) showed the relationship between the influence of learners' EFL, commitment, misbehavior, and exhibiting successful behavior within the language domain. The results have shown that the school type is a powerful element that affects the influence of participants, commitment, bad behaviors, and success. Students’ positive effects of participation are significant and positive with commitment and success, but are significantly negative with bad behavior.

Many research studies in Iran have focused on different perspectives on misbehavior from teachers’ and students’ perspectives (Mohammadi, 2012; Ahmadi et al., 2019; Divsar, 2021; Hashempour et al., 2024; Kamali et al., 2024).f The study of misbehavior in the class shows that the problematic behavior of the class is different depending on the classroom, the content of the courses, the level of education, the time, and the characteristics of the learners, etc., and they believe classroom management plays a crucial role in education (Hashempour et al., 2024). Kamali et al. (2024) suggest that bad behavior is not an isolated phenomenon but the result of the interaction between individual organs and broader factors forming behavior. In addition to other studies, Bapiri et al. (2025) looked at how teachers can build resilience by offering a variety of strategies instead of trying to control everything. Besides these studies, Dolat Pour et al. (2017) analyzed strategies dealing with classroom error, and they believe the importance of error management and class discipline has been well established both in terms of social practice prospects and effective educational views. 

Socially, teacher discipline strategies are considered a strong tool to encourage a sense of students' responsibility. Discover the sources of such behavior to help teachers manage their courses by effectively applying appropriate discipline strategies.

Moreover, the different studies mentioned above about the importance of knowing about misbehavior and controlling it to obtain teaching goals, this study will be helpful for EFL teachers and students, in addition to managers and administrators. So, in the chosen context, this study aimed to answer these questions:

    1. Which behaviors in Iranian EFL classrooms are known as misbehaviors from teachers' perspectives?   

   2. Which behaviors in Iranian EFL classrooms are known as misbehaviors from students' perspectives?

   3. Are there any significant differences between the perception of misbehavior from teachers’ and students’ perspectives? 

3. Methodology

According to the goal of this study, this part contains many components that speak about the method of study, context, and setting in which it happened, participants who took part in this study, instruments used to collect data, and also the data analysis procedure. 

3.1. Design and Context of the Study

Based on the purpose of the study, the design was non-experimental and descriptive; thus, a mixed-methods research paradigm was employed to find perspectives of teachers and students about misbehavior. The study was undertaken at a Novin Language Institute that is a private language institute in Dolat Abad, Isfahan, Iran, in the academic year 2025 in the spring semester. About the reason for choosing this institute, the owner of this thesis had studied English and had been teaching there; it could be helpful to manage and conduct the study.  The samples were chosen by some of the students and teachers of this institution, and they ensured that the data collected were only used for this study and considered ethical issues.

3.2. Participants

Iranian EFL students and teachers were our population, but the target sample was EFL students and teachers in Novin Language Institute, Dolat Abad, Isfahan. Because the participants were convenient and available, about 20 English male and female teachers who have different ages (21-45) and experience at various levels, and about 80 girls and boys (12-20 years old) EFL students, whose levels are from A1-B1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), based on an institute placement test, which contains some oral questions to check students’ proficiency levels. The samples are a convenience sample from the population of Iranian EFL teachers and students. Table 1 presents some information about participants and their demographic background.

Table 1

Demographic Background of Participants

3.3. Instruments

For the data of this study, various tools were used to gather information from both EFL teachers and students to understand their views. A questionnaire contain 23 questions with likert scale and twio open ended questions, was used as part of the data collection process and was adapted from the results of questions previously used by Kamali et al. (2024), which categorized classroom misbehavior into different levels of frequency, ranging from minor to severe. It was also inspired by the work of Cabaroglu et al. (2010) to check different misbehaviors in classrooms and categorized different types of misbehavior that happened. Participants, including both students and teachers, were asked to select the types of misbehavior they observed in their classes. The time limitation for all classes and the length of participation were considered. 

Additionally, there were two open-ended questions according to Öztürk's (2017) study, to allow the participants to mention any other forms of misbehavior and provide suggestions on how to prevent them. For the interview, 10 male and female teachers, and in addition 15 boys’ and girls’ students, were chosen randomly to participate in the interview about 5-10 minutes and answer two questions according to their perspectives. 

Eight classes were observed by researchers at defined levels in both boys' and girls' departments was chosen randomly to analyze the students’ behaviors and check which kind of misbehavior happens more in classes, and how teachers react and deal with them to control the classes. All questionnaires, interview answers, and observation reports were noted in a separate paper without any participants' names to avoid ethical issues, and the internal reliability and validity of the instrument were ensured by doing them over many days and twice by the writer of the thesis.

3.4. Data Collection Procedure

This study aimed to identify the types of observed misbehavior in EFL classrooms, with a focus on the views of both students and teachers. As per the CEFR, Novin Language Institute was selected for the study during the spring term 2025, which offers classes at various levels. Participants were 80 EFL students who were studying at levels A1 to B1 and were divided into girls' and boys' classes. They were 12 to 20 years old. Also, 15 teachers were interviewed in this study; male and female teachers with different teaching experience between 20 and 52 years. Patient information was generated by conducting face-to-face questionnaires printed and presented to the students, and students were allowed to read and complete the questionnaires within 10 to 15 minutes. On behalf of teachers who couldn't attend in person, an online questionnaire was constructed using Google Forms. Before starting, participants were informed about the purpose of the study and the nature of the questions. They were given the chance to ask questions if needed. In the case of the online questionnaire, participants were informed of the details and asked to complete the form with their answers. All participants were asked to complete the consent form and were informed that the data collected would be used solely for this study and not for any other purpose. In all forms, questionnaires, and any interviews, the participants' names were not requested, but only their age, gender, and other relevant information were collected.

After the questionnaire, for interview questions, 15 students and 10 teachers of both genders were chosen voluntarily and asked to answer the items in 5-10 minutes in an environment outside their classes, without needing any information about their names, and were assured of the reliability and validity of the items. Though they answered them in English in some students' cases, they used Persian words to explain and then transcribed them in English. So, they have different answers, some of which are significant and attention-grabbing.

As eight classes were observed, in some cases that had both roles of observer and teacher, it was easier to check and face misbehavior that happens through the teaching process. In other classes, as an observer, learners and teachers dealing with misbehavior were seen in the classroom environment without taking note of the names of students who engaged in misbehavior or criticizing teachers’ methods to control classrooms. The kinds of misconduct that happened and the usual ways of classroom management were noted in a separate sheet to analyze data and compare with other answers of the questionnaire and interview.

3.5. Data Analysis Procedure

All collected data were organized in separate tables using Microsoft Excel, divided into students' and teachers’ responses, interview answers, and notes taken by observation of classes, to analyze and fine-tune the results to know how and which kind of misbehaviors happen more in EFL classrooms. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS v. 27) was used to analyze data from the questionnaire, including 23 items and two open questions from teachers' and students’ opinions separately. Also, the answers to the interview questions were put in tables to check their perspectives. Furthermore, we had some notes on classroom observation that were not put in a table, but we checked them for results.

First, the frequency of each item in the tables was calculated for teachers' and students’ perspectives apart from each other to know which items happen more often in EFL classrooms. Then, the descriptive statistics of misbehavior variables were calculated to find the mean, standard deviation, maximum, and minimum of the variables. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to estimate the normality of the gathered data. So, all the obtained statistics were put in separate tables to analyze and find the results.

Then the answers to two questions in the interview were organized in a Microsoft Excel table without the name of the person, and the teachers' and students' answers were separated to check each answer and compare both groups' responses. So, no statistics were necessary in this instrument. The last was a report of classes’ observation, which was noted in other papers in Microsoft Word, and pointed out misbehavior by students in class, and some teachers' methods for solving challenges in classrooms.

4. Results

Based on these qualitative methods, the researchers investigated how the Iranian EFL teachers and students view classroom misbehavior in the present study. So, we do use multiple approaches such as questionnaires, interviews, and observations to collect information about how the students behave most frequently. You will see the mode; you will see the mean; the average of all the data will be given. As for the standard deviation, this was defined by means of the variance in the data, and tables show how the analyses are made in the context of these contrasting values. The results will be shown in this section.

4.1. Results of Misbehavior Questionnaire 

The questions with items of frequency adverbs were answered by participants to know how often some types of misbehavior happen in their classrooms. Both teachers and students have the same questions and items to compare their answers. The answers could be the responses to the first and second research questions. The descriptive analysis of research variables shows the frequency and percent of responses to each item. 

Table 2

Frequency of the Misbehavior Questionnaire from Students' Perspectives

According to Table 2, the most common misbehaviors in EFL classrooms were talking to friends, making noise, talking without permission, teasing other friends, eating in class, murmuring at the desk, talking about irrelevant issues, coming late to class, getting away from the task, not having homework done, and Tardiness. The answers to two open-ended questions show that most students do not engage in other kinds of misbehavior; in just a few cases, students are identified as misbehaving for using cellphones in class. In addition to another question about suggestions to avoid them, using punishments or encouragement, or dealing with more restrictive rules, could be useful.

Table 3

Frequency of the Misbehavior Questionnaire from Teachers' Perspectives

 As shown in Table 3, teachers report that the most common misbehaviors in EFL classes are: talking to friends, making noise, and discussing irrelevant topics. Additionally, responses to the other two questions indicate that using cellphones and asking irrelevant questions, as well as other actions that lead to ignoring teachers' rules in class, are considered misbehavior in EFL classrooms from teachers' perspectives. To address the question about suggestions for avoiding them, set clear rules and designate a specific time for using cellphones.

Table 4

Descriptive Statistics of Misbehavior Variables

As can be seen from Table 4, the mean of the misbehavior variable from the perspective of teachers is calculated to be 39.13 with a standard deviation of 7.74. The mean of the misbehavior variable from the students' perspective is 69.82, with a standard deviation of 20.74; the minimum and maximum for each perspective are shown in the table, too. Accordingly, the average level of misbehavior is higher among students than among teachers.

4.2 Results of Inferential Statistics

According to the collected and organized data from participants, the normality of the test was checked and confirmed by using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

Table 5

One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test

4.4. Findings of the Interview

The next part of the results is about the interview’s answers, which were one of our instruments that was used in this study. Two questions were asked of participants in 10-15 minutes of out-of-class time because there were 10 EFL teachers and 15 EFL students. Ethical issues and privacy were observed during the interview. From the teachers' point of view, they saw certain behaviors as misbehavior in class. They thought talking a lot during class shows disrespect and makes it hard for the teacher to be heard. For example, according to answers, teacher 3 stated: 

Talking when the teacher or another student is speaking, not paying attention, not following the rules, or doing the opposite of what was told.

 Or teacher 8 believed:

Showing disrespect by talking badly, rolling your eyes, or being rude to teachers and other students. Also, using a cellphone, asking questions that aren't about the lesson, or making noise in class was seen as bad behavior. 

As students' perspectives about types of misbehavior in classrooms, talking during the teaching process or out of turn is the most common factor that students mentioned, as student 5 said: 

Speaking during the teacher's teaching and having disrespectful behavior are misbehaviors in classrooms.

After that, having disrespectful behavior towards the teacher and class rules, like eating something or using a cellphone without permission, like checking messages, were other types.

 Students 11stated:

 Asking irrelevant questions, destroying other classmates' concentration, and not taking part in class tasks.

In some cases, the teachers' and students' perspectives were similar to each other, as in other cases they were different.

4.5. Findings of Observation   

The last instrument used in this study was the observation of some randomly selected EFL classes. The results were documented in Microsoft Word as a report for comparison with other data. The observation report outlines the frequency and kinds of misbehavior that took place in these classes. The report shows that in most classes, students are using their cellphones without switching them to silent or off, and they are using them to look at messages or answer calls. It is also mentioned that using a cellphone without permission to look up answers to questions or finish exercises is not allowed.  However, students often do not perceive these actions as misbehavior and consider them as normal classroom activities.

As mentioned in the previous part, some students try to get the teachers' or class's attention, but the reaction in girls' and boys’ classes completely varies. In the girls’ class, the competition and a contest to get positive feedback or praise, or maybe time to go out by doing exercises or answering questions quickly, were more than in the boys' class. On the other hand, boys’ classes were more about telling jokes, teasing their friends, giggling, and taking other actions to show that they are clever and know everything. But saying this point was significant that not all boys or all girls do this misbehavior during all classes, and lots of talented and conscientious students are seen in classes. By the way, the ethical considerations about participants during all parts were maintained.

5. Discussion

This study was conducted to investigate the nature of misbehavior and to determine the common types of misbehavior that take place in EFL classrooms from teachers' and students' perspectives. It also aimed to look into the current connection between how teachers and students view misbehavior, taking into account their personal perspectives. Through this part, the addressing of each research question will be checked.

The first question of this study was about what kind of behavior is known as misbehavior from EFL teachers’ perspectives. The data showed that talking in the classroom, which includes making noise and asking irrelevant questions, and using a cellphone, was known as misbehavior. According to Hashempour et al. (2024), parents and teachers believe that the bad behavior of the class among the learners is an inevitable question that the teacher will face in the teaching process. The discoveries of Sun (2014) showed that almost 70% of the causal clarifications were student-related, such as fun and joy seeking, attention-seeking, tiredness, and 'difficulty in catching up with the syllabus were in line with different types of misbehavior shown in chosen EFL classrooms.

For the second research question regarding types of misbehavior among EFL students, according to Leonard et al. (2024), misbehavior included teasing friends, making noise that caused disturbances, and engaging in activities that prevented participation in classroom tasks. However, in that study, using a cellphone was considered a form of misbehavior, yet the EFL students who participated did not view using a cellphone during class as misbehavior and knew it as usual behavior, like the study by Hoang Tran et al. (2024), researchers in Vietnam looked into misbehavior among students learning English as a foreign language who use cellphones and mobile devices inappropriately.

For the answer to the third research question, there are some differences between their perspectives, though it was found that in most kinds of misbehavior in the classroom, they have the same perception, like speaking during teaching or asking irrelevant questions or disciplinary actions like coming late, but in some types like using cellphones and checking all things with them it is a slight contrast. Most teachers agree to using cellphones and helpful applications like dictionaries or other artificial intelligence (AI) apps, but truly use them as supplementary tools, not as assistants to do all tasks and answer all questions without any effort or spending time. Causes of misbehavior in the EFL classroom were one of the interview’s questions. Both groups of participants who randomly chose to answer the question said many reasons that are in line with Kamali et al. (2024)'s study, which pointed to external and internal factors for misbehavior, so there were not one-dimensional factors

6. Conclusion

The results demonstrated that different frequencies of misbehavior happen in classrooms; consequently, talking in class is one of the most common misbehaviors that is known, and Charles (2014) pointed it out. The discoveries of Sun (2014) showed that almost 70% of the causal explanations were student-related, such as fun and joy seeking, attention-seeking, tiredness, and difficulty in catching up with the syllabus, which were in line with different types of misbehavior shown in chosen EFL classrooms. On the other hand, using a cellphone inappropriately from teachers’ perspectives is known as misbehavior, which students did not agree with. In line with Hoang Tran et al. (2024) about using cellphones during class time, none of the students identified cellphone use or AI assistance as misbehavior, believing it to be normal to check their phones during lessons and use them to find answers and solve problems without actively participating in classroom activities. These results are not surprising given the rapid advancements in technology, as individuals increasingly rely on devices to complete tasks efficiently and swiftly. Having more interesting and attractive classes with the use of various methods to appeal to students’ attention can address some reasons behind this misbehavior, like interest in English learning. Setting clear rules and a specific time for using cellphones and checking them, like a break time or rest time in the classroom, can be useful to have better output by achieving teaching goals and better classroom management.

In the first view, maybe this title cannot have any significance for EFL learners, but it will be helpful for them to know about their behavior that happens in class and how it can affect the class environment, and they can compare their classmates’ opinions with the results of this study. Also, this title can be useful for Iranian EFL teachers, in-service or pre-service teachers, in schools or language institutes, or other centers where they engage in teaching English, to have better classroom control and management to achieve the objectives of the class and attract learners. 

 In this case, some limitations were faced. One of them was that the findings might not be generalized to other educational settings with different teachers, students, and features. In addition, the time and the number of participants were limited to a small number and chosen levels.

 Therefore, suggestions for future research could be conducted with a larger sample size, including EFL teachers and students at various English proficiency levels with different ages, or also English classrooms in high schools to investigate the occurrence of misbehaviors across different levels and compare the frequencies of misbehavior from beginner to advanced levels in different language institutes or English classes at schools.