Great question! I look for non-judgemental teachers who speak slowly and clearly, who ask interesting questions aimed at my level and who don't bombard me with complex explanations or boring grammar practice (I can practice grammar in my own time). I want a teacher to help me practise speaking as it's the only thing I can't do by myself.

I tend to prefer talkative teachers who can easily keep a conversation going, and help fill in the gaps, because my level is quite low still in the languages I am learning. The teachers I work well with understand that I can understand a lot of what they are saying, and that it's beneficial for me to listen to them, without pushing me to speak when I'm not ready. We have a good personal rapport, because honestly, it doesn't matter how perfect someone's accent or understanding of the language is, if we don't get along, I don't want to talk for more than fifteen minutes. I also strongly dislike teachers who interrupt constantly to correct mistakes and pronunciation - as someone who has been trained as a teacher of foreign languages and with significant work experience in the field, I know that this is useless for beginning/intermediate students. I know that I'm not pronouncing every word correctly, but to me, at this stage, it's *much* more worthwhile to develop fluency and accuracy than worry about rolling my "r". Unless pronunciation is so terrible it interferes with understanding, I don't see the use, and it really stops me from enjoying the lesson and making progress, I think.

Someone who is... - passionate about teaching - can explain complex grammar clearly and concisely - remembers my level from lesson to lesson - brings creative ways to practise the language beyond following a textbook - knows when to stop talking - let's me talk as much as possible - gives me time to think and respond