Abstract

• The purpose of this study was to investigate teaching styles and personality types of teachers. Quantitative and descriptive approaches were used in this study. To collect the required data, Teaching Style Inventory and Psychological Type Index (Grasha, 1996) were used as research instruments. In former measure, five subscales (expert, formal authority, personal model, facilitator and delegator) were included. The later included eight subscales (extrovert, introvert, sensing, intuition, thinking, feeling, judging and perceiving). The required data were collected during December 2016. Participants were 500 teachers from Yangon and Tanintharyi Regions. As the most predominant teaching style and psychological type in this study were ‘Expert’ style and ‘Judging’ type, participants tended to possess certain knowledge and skills that students need and like order and organization. Independent sample t-test revealed that teachers in Yangon Region were higher in expert and delegator styles and introvert, sensing and feeling types than teachers in Tanintharyi Region. Moreover, rural schools’ teachers were better in facilitator style and urban schools’ teachers were good in introvert, sensing and feeling types. ANOVA results showed that 31-40 aged teachers were better in facilitator style and 51-above aged teachers were higher in perceiving type. There was no significant difference in teaching styles by service whereas significant differences exist in personality types. Pearson correlation revealed that personality types were correlated with teachers’ teaching styles. Results from the regression analysis indicated that extrovert, introvert, intuition, feeling and thinking personality types were significant predictors for teacher-centerd teaching styles (expert, formal authority and personal model) and extrovert, intuition, thinking, feeling, judging and perceiving personality types for studentcentered teaching styles (facilitator and delegator). So teachers who use the best teaching styles that suit their personality types will make their teaching more successful because effective teaching depends on the selection of teaching styles.