The Portrayal of Effective Teaching in Helen Keller’s Novel “The Story of My Life”

Abstract

The aims of this research are: (1) to identify the roles of the effective teacher depicted in Helen Keller’s novel “The Story of My Life,” and (2) to examine the implications of these roles for students’ character building. This study employed a library research design with a descriptive qualitative approach. The research data consisted of utterances from The Story of My Life and were analyzed using coded personality traits and componential themes of the effective teacher based on the theory of Minghui and Qinghua. Data was collected through documentary techniques. The findings reveal: (1) twelve distinct roles of effective teaching portrayed in the novel, and (2) significant implications for students’ character development, including fostering happiness, enthusiasm, comfort in learning, friendliness toward teachers, perseverance, and increased confidence in improving their skills.