Tracking Modifications of Iranian EFL Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs in Interaction between a Pre-Service Teacher Training Program and Teaching Practices
Subject Areas : Research in English Language PedagogyParisa Etela 1 , Hossein Saadabadi Motlagh 2 , Saeed Yazdani 3
1 - Department of English, Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran
2 - Department of English, Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran
3 - Department of English, Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran
Keywords: Changing Attitudes, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Teacher Beliefs, Teacher Development, Teaching Practice, Teacher Training Program,
Abstract :
Recently, the sources of teachers’ beliefs and modifications in their beliefs have received special attention; therefore, this longitudinal study investigated Iranian EFL teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. The study attempted to track possible alterations in pedagogical beliefs after participating in a two-year teacher training program and following teaching practices. Through convenient sampling, the researchers selected 24 Iranian EFL teacher students who had teaching experiences of 3-10 years at Islamic Azad University; Shiraz Branch. They collected the required data through a teacher belief questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The results of both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that teaching practices made a unique influence on the modifications in teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. In other words, the results emphasized the power of teaching practice in any modification in teachers’ beliefs over theoretical teaching. These findings have important implications for teacher educators who seek to modify teachers’ beliefs during teacher training programs.
Alavi, S. M., Dashtestani, R., & Mellati, M. (2022). Crisis and changes in learning behaviors: Technology-enhanced assessment in language learning contexts. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 46(4), 461-474. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.1985977
Awenowicz, M. A. (2009). The influence of beliefs and cultural models on teacher candidates' professional identities and practices. Pittsburgh.
Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A. S. (1996). Language testing in practice: Designing and developing useful language tests (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.
Bernat, E., & Gvozdenko, I. (2005). Beliefs about language learning: Current knowledge, pedagogical implications, and new research directions. Tesl-ej, 9(1), n1.
Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36(2), 81-109. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444803001903
Bråten, I., & Ferguson, L. E. (2015). Beliefs about sources of knowledge predict motivation for learning in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50, 13-23. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2015.04.003
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brown, H. D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2004). Language assessment, principles, and classroom practices. White Plains, Pearson Education.
Correa, C. A., Perry, M., Sims, L. M., Miller, K. F., & Fang, G. (2008). Connected and culturally embedded beliefs: Chinese and US teachers talk about how their students best learn mathematics. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(1), 140-153. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.11.004
Crichton, H., & Templeton, B. (2013). Collaboration or confrontation? An investigation into the role of prior experiences in the completion of collaborative group tasks by student teachers. European Journal of Teacher Education, 36(1), 84-96. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2012.678487
Decker, A.-T., Kunter, M., & Voss, T. (2015). The relationship between quality of discourse during teacher induction classes and beginning teachers’ beliefs. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 30(1), 41-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0227-4
Donaghue, H. (2003). An instrument to elicit teachers' beliefs and assumptions. ELT Journal, 57(4), 344-351. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/57.4.344
Dudley-Evans, T., St John, M. J., & Saint John, M. J. (1998). Developments in English for specific purposes: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge university press.
Durksen, T. L., Klassen, R. M., & Daniels, L. M. (2017). Motivation and collaboration: The keys to a developmental framework for teachers’ professional learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 53-66. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.05.011
Eldor, L., & Shoshani, A. (2016). Caring relationships in school staff: Exploring the link between compassion and teacher work engagement. Teaching and Teacher Education, 59, 126-136. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.06.001
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford university press.
Ganji, M., Ketabi, S., & Shahnazari, M. (2018). English teacher training courses in Iranian private language institutes: Issues and options. Issues in Educational Research, 28(2), 367-384.
Gilmore, A. (2012). Materials evaluation and design in language teaching - Ian McGrath, Materials evaluation and design for language teaching. In N. Harwood (Ed.), English language teaching materials: Theory and practice. (2012/02/24 ed., Vol. 45, pp. 250-262). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444811000607
Harmer, J. (2001). The practice of English language teaching. Longman publication.
Hynds, A., Sleeter, C., Hindle, R., Savage, C., Penetito, W., & Meyer, L. H. (2011). Te Kotahitanga: a case study of a repositioning approach to teacher professional development for culturally responsive pedagogies. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(4), 339-351. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2011.614684
Jensen, A. (2019). Fostering preservice teacher agency in 21st-century writing instruction. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 18(3), 298-311. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-12-2018-0129
Kagan, D. M. (1992). The implication of research on teacher belief. Educational Psychologist, 27(1), 65-90. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2701_6
Lin, H.-C. (2010). A case study: An ESL teacher’s beliefs and classroom practices in grammar instruction Kent State University]. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1291249869
Long, M. H. (2005). The second language needs analysis. Cambridge University Press.
Mattheoudakis, M. (2007). Tracking changes in pre-service EFL teacher beliefs in Greece: A longitudinal study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(8), 1272-1288. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2006.06.001
Mellati, M., Alavi, S. M., & Dashtestani, R. (2022). Reduction of errors in writing assignments: A comparison of the impact of peer, teacher, and mixed feedback. Iranian Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 10(4), 152-166. http://journalscmu.sinaweb.net/article_143927_1bff08fc039cf2b5ca201dd1eab1df74.pdf
Mellati, M., Fatemi, M. A., & Motallebzadeh, K. (2013). The relationship between Iranian ELT instructors’ beliefs about language teaching and their practices in real classrooms. English Language Teaching, 6(4), 126-133. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n4p126
Mellati, M., Khademi, M., & Shirzadeh, A. (2015). The relationships among sources of teacher pedagogical beliefs, teaching experiences, and student outcomes. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 4(2), 177-184. http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.4n.2p.177
Moussay, S., Flavier, E., Zimmermann, P., & Méard, J. (2011). Pre-service teachers’ greater power to act in the classroom: analysis of the circumstances for professional development. European Journal of Teacher Education, 34(4), 465-482. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2011.587117
Ng, W., Nicholas, H., & Williams, A. (2010). School experience influences pre-service teachers' evolving beliefs about effective teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(2), 278-289. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.03.010
Pearce, J., & Morrison, C. (2011). Teacher identity and early career resilience: exploring the links. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(1), 48-59. http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2011v36n1.4
Philips, S., & Borg, S. (2009). Exploring tensions between teachers’ grammar teaching beliefs and practices. System, 37(3), 380-390. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2009.03.002
Polat, N. (2010). Pedagogical treatment and change in preservice teacher beliefs: An experimental study. International Journal of Educational Research, 49(6), 195-209. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2011.02.003
Richards, J. C. (2013). Curriculum approaches in language teaching: Forward, central, and backward design. Relc Journal, 44(1), 5-33. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688212473293
Richards, J. C., Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice. Cambridge university press.
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge university press.
Rienties, B., Brouwer, N., & Lygo-Baker, S. (2013). The effects of online professional development on higher education teachers' beliefs and intentions towards learning facilitation and technology. Teaching and Teacher Education, 29, 122-131. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.09.002
Sadeghi, K., & Richards, J. C. (2015). Teaching spoken English in Iran’s private language schools: Issues and options. English Teaching: Practice & Critique, 14(2), 210-234. https://doi.org/10.1108/ETPC-03-2015-0019
Sanger, M. N., & Osguthorpe, R. D. (2013). Modeling as moral education: Documenting, analyzing, and addressing a central belief of preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 29, 167-176. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.08.002
Sykes, G., Bird, T., & Kennedy, M. (2010). Teacher education: Its problems and some prospects. Journal of Teacher Education, 61(5), 464-476. https://doi.org/10.1177/002248711037580
Tanase, M., & Wang, J. (2010). Initial epistemological beliefs transformation in one teacher education classroom: Case study of four preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(6), 1238-1248. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.02.009
Ur, P. (2012). A course in English language teaching. Cambridge University Press.