EFL teacher-student interaction, teacher immediacy, and Students' academic engagement in the Chinese higher learning context

The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the role of mediators of teacher-student rapport in the relationship between the teachers' immediacy and academic engagement in EFL contexts. The participants of this correlational study were 285 students of Xinxiang which is an important central city in northern Henan province, China. They (195 females and 90 males) were selected as a convenient sampling. To collect the data, Teacher-Student Rapport Questionnaire (Wilson et al., 2010), Teachers' Immediacy Questionnaire (Gorham, 1988), and Learners' Academic Engagement (Kember & Leung, 2009) were employed. The collected data were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The results showed that the research model is confirmed in terms of significance and fit indicators, and the variable of teachers' immediacy indirectly affects academic engagement through teacher-student rapport (p < .05). The research findings presented robust evidence supporting a robust and positive correlation between teachers' verbal immediacy and students' engagement. This implies that when educators exhibit clear and expressive communication, it contributes significantly to fostering active involvement and participation among students. Expanding on this insight, the study suggests that the impact of teachers' nonverbal immediacy should not be overlooked. Indeed, nonverbal cues from educators can hold considerable influence in shaping the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship. Furthermore, it is proposed that nonverbal immediacy plays a pivotal role in influencing academic engagement. In essence, both verbal and nonverbal aspects of immediacy contribute synergistically to creating a conducive learning environment, enhancing the teacher-student connection, and ultimately promoting students' academic engagement.